Life Goes On 2
by CheerfulChemist
Summary: This is Castle future history that takes place after Life Goes On and Distress from the Dungeons, in the same universe. If you haven't read Life Goes On, you've missed the 7 years that precedes this. They have the kids and the life shown in the final seconds of Castle S8. Of course I own nothing Castle.
1. Chapter 1

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 1

Rick's strong fingers massaged the knots from Kate's shoulders. "You really should come to bed, Hon. You need sleep to consolidate what you've learned. I found that out the hard way, cramming for exams in my misspent youth."

"I know Babe, it's just that this is so important. Until I pass the bar I'll always have to depend on one of our volunteer lawyers to be in court with me, even if I do all the preparation. They don't always have the time for that. I feel like the people we're serving are getting the short end of the stick. And even after I take it, we won't know the results until October. It I fail, I'd have to apply again in November to take it in February. It's a long process."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Castle asked.

Kate relaxed under his massage. "I think you're doing it, Babe. From the sample questions and the examples from the previous bar exams, I think I've got most of it down except business law. My father's been able to help with some of it, but it's just not the kind of thing I can wrap my head around. When I started, I thought I'd be into civil rights like my mother was, but since Marla and some of the other women who I've worked with at the center, I think family law may be my passion. There are so many abused wives and children. Many of them are just scared to death of the system, and in many cases rightfully so. I have been helping, but I know I could do so much more. But to get there, I still have to get business law down."

"Is there a prep course you could take?" Castle asked.

"I would have to have already started," Kate answered, "except for the online stuff. And that's not penetrating."

"So how about a private tutor?" Castle suggested. "There must be some of those out there."

"Pages and pages on Google," Kate replied. "I just wouldn't know who to pick. And if I choose wrong, it could mean failure."

"Look," Castle proposed, "the firm that handles my business dealings has some terrific people. They've kept me from falling into more than a few holes. They also handle the affairs of some of the authors I know who are real industries, like some of my old poker buddies. I haven't heard any complaints, and mark my words, if they had gripes, they wouldn't have held back. I'll see if I can get a referral."

"Thanks, Castle. You always seem to come up with something."

Rick grinned. "What can I say? You married a brilliant creative mind."

Kate rolled her eyes, and he extended a hand to lead her to their bedroom.

* * *

Bernard pushed off from the coffee table to take a tentative first step. Alexis gasped, but had enough presence of mind to reach for her phone to take a video before her son was back on his rump on the rug. "I'll have to send this to your daddy," she told him. "You'll make him so happy. He's been working very hard. He has a really tough case."

Sergei smiled at the video his wife had sent. It was the first time he had smiled all day. The case he was working on was pretty grisly. Nano-Life had been in every business magazine and all over the web, touting a new technology that could produce cheap energy anytime, anywhere. The pilot demonstrations had been spectacular and when they went public, their stock had taken off like a rocket. The rocket soon fell to earth and shares that had been bought for sixty dollars plummeted to fourteen cents. Disgruntled investors made their complaints to the SEC. But one had taken their anger at the loss to a tragic extreme. An as yet unidentified virus had been released into the water supply at what remained of Nano-Life. The victims had bled from every orifice. Five people died immediately of blood loss and shock as their organs shut down. Several more were struggling for their lives in isolation in the hospital. CSU had aided the CDC in gathering what evidence could be found. All the work was done in full protective gear, which was clumsy and sweaty. Every inch of the air ducts and intakes the killer might have accessed were examined for fingerprints, DNA, and trace evidence. It appeared to have been years since the system was cleaned, if it ever had been, and dirt and mold compromised many of the samples. It was an analytical nightmare. He looked forward to leaving it all behind and heading home as soon possible to witness Bernard's new milestone in person.

* * *

Smitty Kirsch did not look like a business law genius. He didn't look like any kind of a genius. His thin-limbed long body stuck out from the chair. As though fighting inertia, his movements were slow. His words were slow as well, or perhaps more accurately, measured. "Maybe," he proposed to Kate, "it would be easier for you to relate to business law with a current real world example of how it all goes wrong. Are you aware of a company called Nano-Life?"

"Of course," Kate responded. "The biological massacre there has been all over the news. Also, my stepdaughter's husband is one of the criminalists investigating the case."

Smitty steepled his long fingers. "Let's put all of that aside as effect, and look at the cause. What happened at Nano-Life that would have driven someone into the madness that would spur such an act?"

"Something about falling stock prices?" Kate ventured.

"But why were they high and why did they fall?" Smitty questioned. "What drove every Tom, Dick, and Emily out to buy the stock in the first place, and why did the stock tank?"

"I don't know," Kate admitted. "My husband and I were overseas when some of that took place, and I doubt that I would have paid much attention had I been here."

"Fair enough, not your favorite ballpark, or I wouldn't be here. So let's start at the beginning. How does a company like Nano-Life start?"

"They have an idea and they get people to invest in it. They get money for research, equipment, facilities, and personnel," Kate answered.

"How?" Smitty persisted.

"Some kind of demo?" Kate ventured.

"And in this case, apparently a fraudulent one," Smitty commented. "But then what?"

Kate sighed and shrugged.

Smitty nodded. "Okay, first step, they put out a private offering, controlled by law so only folks rich enough to afford to lose their money can invest."

"They should do that in Atlantic City and Vegas," Kate commented.

"If they did, there might not be an Atlantic City or Vegas. And believe me, even in business, it doesn't always work the way it's supposed to. People react to the warnings the same way they do to the listing of side effects on a drug commercial or the terms of a software agreement. They pretty much ignore them. Or they fudge on the income that qualifies them. The process is called a PPM, a Private Placement Memorandum. You can look up all the details later. There is a lot of weaselly language you should get familiar with. Nano-Life used that method to stuff their coffers with cash. If it had ended there, it wouldn't have been so bad. Some rich folks would just have gotten a nice tax write-off. But the company used the money that came in to pay their executives huge salaries and then to finance a shortcut to going public called a reverse merger. You need to research those too. They are unsuccessful more often than not. But they make the stock publicly tradable so any Joe or Jill Blow with dollar signs in their eyes and dreams in their hearts, can blow their life savings. That's part of what happened with Nano-Life. You look into everything that takes place with those sorts of transactions, including the capacity for fraud, and we'll pick up the rest of the story next time. Slimy business dealings leading to people getting killed, should give the woman who is the inspiration for Nikki Heat, some good red meat to chew on."

"I think they will," Kate agreed. "Thanks Smitty.

"Oh, you'll get my bill," Smitty assured her.

"So what do you think of your new tutor?" Castle inquired after Smitty had left. "He kinda reminds me of Ichabod Crane - in Irving's short story, not the TV show."

"Me too, but he gave me a different hook for business law, something I hadn't thought about before. It's a lot easier to relate it to my own experience with bad guys."

Castle drew her to him and pressed a kiss to her hair. "Good, I'm a fan of new hooks myself. Maybe we can explore some of our own later."

Kate bumped him with her hip. "I look forward to it."

"Just one thing," Castle added. "Next time Ichabod shows up, feed the man."

Kate laughed. "I'll make a point of it."


	2. Chapter 2

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 2

The Castle family occupied a reserved space in the stands at the finish line of the Fill the Cracks 10K run. Lily leaned forward in her seat, anxiously awaiting the runners, especially her Uncle Javi in his first race since his injury. Reese and Jake, each on a parental lap, squirmed only slightly, distracted by the toddler version of video games. Maria Esposito sat next to Kate. As the runners approached, it was clear that Esposito was back in pack somewhere, but the Castles were both obligated and pleased to celebrate the winner.

Kate, accompanied by Maria, presented a trophy to Miranda Marjan. The mother of three children, when her bank account was cleaned out by a husband who took off with his new girlfriend, Miranda turned to Fill the Cracks for help. After engaging Richard Castle Investigations to track down her errant spouse, FTC had helped her obtain child support and get her life back on track. Miranda's counselor had suggested running as a coping mechanism and Miranda had thrown herself into it. She trained daily and ran shorter races building up to the 10K. Kate was honored to hand Miranda the trophy, as living proof that FTC could make difference in a life. As Kate and Maria were bestowing second and third place awards, Lily jumped up and pointed at the incoming group of runners. "There's Uncle Javi!"

Maria smiled and held out her arms to her sweaty but triumphant husband. "You made it, _Mi Amor_."

"Was their ever any doubt?" Esposito asked. "Next time I'm going to win this, and right now training starts for the marathon in November."

Holding Reese, while Lily grasped Jake's hand, Castle slapped Esposito on the back. "Good going bro! We'd stay around to celebrate, but Kate needs to get back to her studies. Her tutor is coming over. And the twins are way over their limit for staying in one place."

"Yeah Castle, I get it. Maria and I have our own plans anyway. See you for Halo night?"

"Wouldn't miss it," Castle declared.

* * *

Smitty Kirsch stretched his endless legs out in front of him in his chair in Kate's home office. "So Kate, what are your insights on business law since our last session?"

"That there are countless ways of getting ripped off and it's the lawyer's job to prevent as many of them as possible. And whatever we do, the bad guys are always coming up with ways to get around it. We just have to try to keep ahead of them. Also that the amount of paperwork involved is unending."

"All true," Smitty agreed. "So you've discovered a way for your crime busting soul to embrace the basis of business law?"

"I have. And I'll admit it is a lot easier for me to get into it now. But I also have an urge to track down the killer in the Nano-Life case," Kate added.

"I can understand that, Kate, but you'll need to resist that particular urge. If you're going to be ready for your exam, you don't have the time. I brought a stack of other examples of business lawyers protecting their clients and the public. We can go through them together and then you should do the further research on your own. But don't get sidetracked. You want to be a lawyer, not a cop. Your efforts are going have to be in churning out paper not pounding the mean streets. Are you hearing me?"

Kate sighed and nodded. "I hear you."

"Good. Now while you peruse the documents I brought, where's the snack your husband insisted you foist on me?"

"Arriving any minute," Kate replied, "from the best pizzeria in Riverdale."

* * *

"We appreciate the dinner invitation, Kate," Sergei said, carefully slicing his steak. Between my Nano-Life case and Alexis' work at RCI, things really get crazy."

"How is the Nano-Life case going?" Kate queried. "Any leads?"

"We found a hair in an air duct with a follicle attached. We've pulled some DNA from it. The good news is that it doesn't match any of the Nano-Life employees, so we're fairly sure it came from whomever planted the virus. The bad news is that it doesn't match anyone in the system. Whoever did this has no record."

"Has the virus been identified yet?" Castle asked.

"The CDC says it's similar to Marburg, but modified to be even more virulent. The strain is not what anyone would use to take out a city. The symptoms begin almost immediately, which limits the opportunity for transmission. This is more something that would be used in a raid, to immobilize the occupants of a particular building. The claim is that our government hasn't developed anything like it because of the treaties against biological warfare. But there are several labs that might be analyzing and working with captured samples. There is no effective anti-viral for Marburg or any of its variants. The profiles of researchers who might have access are being kept confidential and Homeland Security has stepped in. They'll be asking the researchers at the labs for DNA samples to compare with what we found."

Kate shook her head. "Things always get complicated when the feds are involved."

"Tell me about it," Sergei agreed. "But having them take over the heavy lifting will give me more time with Bernard." Bernard slapped his hands against the tray of his high chair and babbled in response to his name. "Did Alexis tell you he's walking now?"

Castle smiled at his older daughter, who was busy spooning pureed something into Bernard's mouth. "I have watched and re-watched all twenty videos. I'm looking forward to an in-person demonstration after dinner. With Jake and Reese inheriting the Castle curiosity, the house is still resistant to tiny prying fingers. He can toddle to his heart's content."

"Wah!" Bernard responded.

"Sound's like he's getting ready," Castle noted.

"I can play a walking song for him," Lily volunteered. "I wrote one for Jake and Reese."

"That sounds great!" Alexis encouraged her sister. "I'm sure Bernard will love it."

* * *

"Much as I love to have my older daughter and son-in-law, not to mention my grandchild visit, you asked them here to pump Sergei for information on the Nano-Life case didn't you?" Castle accused Kate after their guests had departed. "Didn't Smitty advise you to move on?"

Kate chewed sheepishly on her lower lip. "He did and I have, Castle - mostly. But Smitty got me interested in the first place and now I want to know how it comes out."

"I know," Castle commiserated. "You know I can't stand to let a story go without an ending either. But Kate, this is as far as you can go with following the case." He smiled mischievously. "Unless you're thinking of getting in touch with some of our old Federal contacts."

Kate batted her eyelashes. "Castle, would I do a thing like that?"

"In a heartbeat," Rick responded. "But tell you what. You keep your nose in your books and I'll make the calls. If I come up with anything I'll let you know. Anyway, you need to clear some time for Lily's performance with The Young People's Orchestra. Mother took her shopping for a new dress and I think our grand dame must have used every ounce of self control she possesses. The dress is lovely, but actually conservative enough to blend in with all the other kids."

"That is amazing Babe. Maybe being a great grandmother is mellowing her."

"I doubt it," Castle replied. "I can't even use the term great grandmother in her presence. And she's making sure Alexis sticks to Gram."

Rising on her toes, Kate clasped her hands behind Rick's neck. "Speaking of sticking things, the kids will be in bed in a couple of hours and I'm pretty sure I'll be on law book overload. Maybe you can stick something in during a nap of our own."

With his palms cradling her well shaped posterior, Castle pulled her against his groin. "I think that is a brilliant suggestion, and I think I know just the something. A great nap it will be."


	3. Chapter 3

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 3

Kate's mouth dropped open. "Babe, you called Mark Fallon?"

"Why not?" Castle asked. "We kept him from letting a dirty bomb go off in New York on his watch, and he's with Homeland Security. So he's a douche, but he's a douche with access to inside information. And he owes us."

"So what did he say?"

"That it's none our business, which is true. But he also told me that even if he was going to say anything, there was nothing to say. I take that to mean Homeland is stumped."

"How about our contacts in the CIA?" Kate queried.

"I put a notice on my website that could attract my father's attention if he's in a position to check. I called Martin Danberg. He was no more forthcoming than Fallon, but I got the impression that he was clueless too. I also turned my research skills to laboratories. There is a possible source of the virus in New Jersey. The tweets from the area report an upsurge in black SUVs. I'm assuming that's where the FBI is concentrating their efforts. That's the best I could do for now."

"It's a lot," Kate acknowledged. "I guess I'll just have to wait until something else turns up. What time is Lily's performance?"

"Four o'clock. Kirk is going to take her to rehearsal straight from school. But if we want good seats, we should try to be early. I for one, want to be in the front row."

Kate's mouth tweaked upward. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

* * *

Marshall Kremnitzer huddled in his apartment wondering if there would be a fateful knock at the door. It seemed that a strange progression of events had converged to give him his chance to take revenge on Nano-Life. Now he wondered if he would be discovered eventually. There were certainly enough ominous suits around the lab, before it was closed down entirely. True, he did not appear to be a suspect. As far as anyone knew, he had no access to the virus. He was deemed as a meaningless menial. But his history as something otherwise existed, if anyone actually investigated. He'd never started out to be part of anyone's cleaning staff. He had majored in microbiology. He had gotten pretty close to his PhD., but his advisor was jealous of his progress and accused him of taking dangerous shortcuts. He was dropped from the program and no other university would take him. In lab jobs that amounted to no more than bottle washing, no one ever appreciated his efforts or creativity. He found them impossible to endure. Finally he was reduced to being on the bottom of the bottom, the invisible man with a mop. But he'd been smart. He squirreled away his money. He'd always known he'd make himself a chance for the big breakthrough, the chance to be recognized at last for brilliance he had.

Then Nano-Life demolished what was left of his existence. He'd watched them from the beginning. Their combination of biochemical reactions with nanotechnology seemed a leap into a future of cheap clean energy. He couldn't wait for the company to go public so he could invest his hard earned nest egg. But it had all been a cruel hoax. When the first promising developments didn't pan out, results had been forged and demos faked. After all his years of trying to fight his way back, he had nothing, and Nano-Life was to blame.

He never dreamed he'd be able to take revenge, but then it was suddenly thrust in his face. He was cleaning up the mess from a stupid broken water fountain outside the level four lab when he saw the high and mighty Dr. Kirsty Marcus put in her access code. Then she and the other witches in her coven were called to a meeting, and he had his chance. The lab notebooks were right on the bench. His knowledge and experience served him well. He figured out pretty quickly what sample he would need to give Nano-Life their due. It wasn't hard to switch it out for part of a harmless control. Eventually they'd have a failed experiment, but they were too dumb to figure out what happened. And even if they did, they were too arrogant to report a mistake. He was sure he'd get away with it.

Now he was no longer sure. Maybe the suits would pin something on Kirsty or a member of her group, but if they couldn't, even the government's stooges would eventually figure out they'd have to look elsewhere. He needed to get away, but he had nothing in the bank and his credit cards were maxed. He could think his way through. He knew he could. He'd just have to use the brains with which he had been so abundantly gifted.

* * *

Tatiana apologized for her tardy arrival to watch the twins so Rick and Kate could attend Lily's performance with the Young People's Orchestra. She explained that her early morning shift at the medical lab where she was working ran over, when another tech was late showing up. Castle assured her it was fine, but his mobile face revealed that it clearly wasn't. Steering him quickly out the door, Kate suggested that under the circumstances, her cop trained driving skills might be called for to traverse midtown traffic in the shortest time. Accepting the slight blow to his male ego, he agreed. She drove at the top speed she knew she could get away with, without flashing lights appearing in her rear view mirror. Castle took the opportunity to call Kirk to see if Lily's musical mentor could save a couple of decent seats.

They arrived minutes before the concert was scheduled to begin, but Kirk came through. The Castles weren't front row center, but the third row was close enough for them to see Lily and for her to see them. When the orchestra assumed their seats, their daughter sat proudly at a baby grand, in her new dress. The musical director, Bennie Shwartzkopf, thanked everyone for coming, as well as thanking an anonymous donor who made the performance possible. Kate poked a teasing elbow into Castle's ribs, to which he returned a look of total innocence.

The program began with The March of the Toys by Victor Herbert, complete with children dressed as toy soldiers marching out on stage. They continued with Night on Bald Mountain, with the Disney scenes from Fantasia playing on a screen in the background. Saint-Saens' Carnival of the animals followed. Then Lily was introduced as the composer of the final piece. After her introduction, she resumed her place at the piano, while Shwartzkopf conducted a lively rendition of The Castle Castle, featuring themes for Kate, Rick, and her brothers. The audience applauded enthusiastically with Castle jumping up to start the standing ovation, as his daughter took her bow.

Proud grandparents Martha and Jim had also been in the audience. Martha rushed back stage to embrace Lily and declared her the new generation in the family's triumphs on the stage. Lily took it all as her due, but was still excited on when Rick, now at the wheel of the car, offered to stop at Lily's favorite drive through on the way back to the Castle castle.

"Back to the books?" Castle queried Kate, when an exhilarated Lily was finally able to close her eyes for the night.

Kate shook her head. "I thought we'd get in our dance first, Castle. After all, talented as she is, our daughter is not the only one around here who can make beautiful music."

Castle pressed a kiss to her lips. "No, no she absolutely isn't."


	4. Chapter 4

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 4

Castle opened his eyes to sunlight, but the summer days were long and the sun rose early. There was time before Lily and the twins would be stirring. Kate still snoozed beside him. Her hair was bed mussed. Just peeking over the sheet, her sleep shirt drooped over one shoulder. Her mouth held the smile of a sweet dream. She looked beautiful. But then she always did to him. Unbidden, his body responded. He wondered if he should just ignore it and let her sleep. After their evening's terpsichorean cavort, she had returned to her law books and studied well into the night. He'd spent the same time writing, but his chore was much less exhausting. The decision was taken from him as she murmured softly and stretched with feline grace. He stroked her cheek. "Good morning."

"Good morning yourself. What time is it?"

"About half an hour before the horde escapes from the Land of Nod. You can catch a few more winks if you want to."

Kate stretched again and turned to him, running her fingers up the firmness of his thigh. "I'm rather catch something else."

"Oh, and what might that be?"

She plunged her hand up the length of his shorts to encircle his growing interest. "This."

"And now that you've caught it, whatever are you going to do with it?"

She pulled his shorts away. "I just thought I'd take a little taste."

Rick's breathing quickened. "It is yours to feast upon, but perhaps we can breakfast together."

Kate rounded her lips with the tip of her tongue. "Sounds delicious."

The covers were kicked away and garments tossed asunder as they shifted for access of lips and tongues. Freed of barriers, their skins heated as they pressed together, laying claim to the most intimate meals. The bed creaked and the springs screamed as they delved deeper for morning sustenance, writhing, almost pulling apart, then diving again for more. Kate stiffened at the hint of salt and bitterness that filled her mouth, then convulsed as her own climax swept through her. Spent, they collapsed into what remained of the tangled bedclothes."

Castle worked to catch his breath. "That beats a triple espresso all to hell."

"I've always preferred my crullers with a creamy filling," Kate agreed.

Rick pulled himself up and reached down to scoop his shorts from the floor. "Better check on the junior Castles now, before they decide to check on us."

* * *

Lily was awake and at her keyboard with her headphones on. Her purple elephant was perched on the stand for inspiration. She looked up as her father entered the doorway of her room and pulled her headphones down. "What are you composing?" he asked.

"It's a piece about yesterday," she explained." She pointed to the beloved plush. "With the toys and the animals."

"Sounds wonderful. Celebratory smile pancakes?" Castle offered.

"Yes," his daughter requested, "but the kind you make for Jake and Reese, without the gluten. They're sweeter."

"Great," Castle agreed. "Makes my job easier. I'll have to post a good review for the cookbook I got the mix to make them out of. You go ahead and work on your song. I'll call you when they're ready."

Lily replaced her headphones and nodded.

The twins were awake as well and busily engaged bashing the cars of a large plastic toy train together. Castle hoped it would keep them occupied for the next few minutes. Kate had started the coffee, then retreated to grab a quick shower. Castle followed the rich aroma to the kitchen and started to fill Lily's request. Pancakes wouldn't be as satisfying as the breakfast he and Kate had shared, but it would be some years before the kids learned about that sort of gustatory enjoyment. Many, many years if he had anything to say about it. Sauce for the goose was definitely not appropriate for the goslings, preferably until they were at least in college.

* * *

Marshall Kremnitzer considered that there were a few advantages to living in a cheap neighborhood. As people's fortunes tanked, purveyors of payday and car title loans filled the storefronts. He had his eye on one in particular. Devoted to those without checking accounts, it dispensed its usurious loans in cash, provided by an armored truck that pulled up every couple of days. Marshall had watched carefully and knew their schedule and their routine to the minute. There were always two men. While the one who rode in the back went inside to deliver money and exchange conversation, the driver sat in the truck sipping coffee and chomping on a doughnut - jelly filled. The mouth stuffer would never see Marshall sneak behind the truck to coat the door handles with his special mix of DMSO and anesthetic. Marshall would not admit it to himself, but even with the perfection of his plan, he was nervous. And when he was nervous, he perspired.

Marshall's gambit unfolded as he'd imagined. The cash deliverer returned, but collapsed to the floor of the truck after opening the back doors to climb back in. Marshall hurried inside himself to grab as many remaining bags of bills as he could. He took just a fraction of a second to lean over his victim and congratulate himself on his brilliance at so easily disabling the man. He never noticed the sweat that dripped from his face onto the fallen guard's uniform before he took his leave.

* * *

Sergei regarded an email that had popped up on his phone, with surprise. DNA that had been recovered from a robbery victim was a match to the DNA recovered from the hair found at Nano-Life. It made a strange sort of sense. If someone had committed the murder in revenge for losing money in the stock fraud, they might need money enough to commit a robbery. He called Harlan Page, the criminalist in charge of the robbery investigation, for details. "A mixture of Ketamine and DMSO applied to a door handle," he commented, "that's pretty sophisticated. But then so is murder by deadly virus."

"But DMSO and Ketamine are a lot easier to get," Harlan pointed out. "Ketamine's a street drug and DMSO is available from any solvent supplier. That's probably how he got it. It wasn't pharmaceutical grade, just the industrial stuff. We're checking suppliers now, but there are a lot of them. Hell, there are multiple vendors on Amazon. You got anything new?"

"Not a thing," Sergei admitted, "but Homeland's taken over and if they have anything, they won't tell me. But do me a favor and let me know if anything pops for you."

"Will do," Harlan agreed, ending the call.

Sergei knew that Kate would certainly be interested in this new development. She had been checking with him on a regular basis - too regular a basis. Rick would be interested too, and he might be the one to call. He could pass the information along to Kate, but his writer's mind could fit the details of a robbery and a biological massacre together into some kind of story. Sergei pressed the contact for his father-in-law.

Aware that his breakfast treats might severely dwindle if he didn't, Rick fetched Kate and put his phone on speaker when Sergei called. "So our killer knows some chemistry and some biology, but doesn't have easy access to higher grades of ingredients," Castle mused.

"That's probably correct," Sergei confirmed.

"Well we already knew it wasn't a lab researcher," Castle continued. "Consider this: we have a victim of the Nano-Life stock fraud. He's not a scientist, but perhaps he was, or is a wannabe. He doesn't normally have access to a deadly virus, but he manages to get it somehow. He doesn't have a lab either, but he makes do. So how would that happen? Perhaps it's someone who had to leave science for some reason, or more likely was thrown out. He'd be angry. And losing money to a scientific firm like Nano-Life would put him over the edge. He has to be someone who works at the lab where the virus was, but someone the FBI never looked at, someone they wouldn't have suspected. He already lost his money to Nano-Life and when the lab closes down, he's totally broke, so he commits a robbery. The backgrounds on everyone at that lab, even if they just load the copy machines, need to be examined. That robbery was carefully planned. He would have to have watched that truck, learned its routine. He probably lives in the neighborhood somewhere. Put together that with someone with the right background working at that lab, we should have our perp."

"Castle assuming that's true, who do we tell?" Kate wondered. "Homeland is not exactly open to suggestions. And if our guy stole all that money, he's probably long gone by now."

"Quite possibly," Castle considered,"but I'm going to call Fallon. We have nothing to lose and at this point and neither does Homeland."

A/N Here is a piece of shameless self-promotion. The mix that makes the pancakes that are gluten free and casein free too, can be found in The Cheerful Chemist's GFCF Sugar Optional Mix Book, by yours truly. It's available on Amazon in a cheap little paperback and also for Kindle. The stuff really does taste good and a lot of math went into making the conversions work.


	5. Chapter 5

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 5

"Sonofabitch!" Mark Fallon muttered as he slammed down the phone. Richard Castle hadn't told him much that he didn't know. Obviously his people had missed a suspect at the lab. And obviously it was someone who needed money enough to commit a robbery. Castle's assumptions made sense, so much sense that his people should have reached the same conclusion, but they hadn't. They were running in circles thinking terrorists, just as he had been the last time Castle had been involved in a case. It still burned that if he'd paid more attention to Castle in the first place, a dirty bomb would have been located long before a final countdown. His people were supposed to be more competent than that. He was supposed to be more competent than that. Now whoever let the virus loose at Nano-Life was probably long gone to some non-extradition country. But he would have to go through the motions anyway.

* * *

In the motel room he paid for in cash with no questions asked, Marshall Kremnitzer smeared his fiery fingers with more hydrocortisone cream. It wasn't helping. He'd never been sensitive to solvents or anything else he'd encountered in a lab before. Why DMSO and why now, when he needed so badly to get away and had the money to do it? He couldn't even stand to hold a suitcase. He couldn't write his name. He couldn't stop peeing either. He'd just have to hope the feds remained as oblivious as they'd been so far, until the crisis passed. He popped another allergy pill. It would probably make him almost as stupid as the feds, but things couldn't get much worse. Or at least he hoped they couldn't.

* * *

Castle handed Kate a huge mug of a skim milk latte with two pumps of sugar-free vanilla. "No sugar or fat but plenty of caffeine. Gaining confidence as you get down to the wire?"

"I wish," Kate groaned. "Smitty helped a lot, but for everything I study, I realize there's something I don't know. Right now the rate for passing in New York is only 41%. And brilliant people fail bar exams all the time, Castle. The president did, and she's got the fate of the world in her hands. What makes me any better?"

"Come on Kate, you still have better odds than you did for getting into either Stuyvesant or Stanford, and you did that. Don't psych yourself out. You've put in the time, you've got the experience, and you've got the genes. If anyone can make the cut, you can. I should have made that latte decaf. You need major chilling. So what will it be? A bubble bath? A massage? The special bottle we brought back from Scotland? Or, I can't believe I'm saying this, a Nebula Nine marathon?"

Kate shook her head. "Castle, as enticing as all that sounds, I just need to stay with it until the last minute. I can't even think about anything else. And it really helps to know that I can count on you to take care of Lily and the boys."

"Always," Castle assured her. "All right, just let me know if you need anything. A pizza, filet mignon, another case of M&Ms, anything."

"Alright Babe, I will."

* * *

Mark Fallon surveyed Marshall Kreminitzer's shabby empty studio apartment. There wasn't much to see. Most of the clothes were missing from the closet. There was little in the refrigerator or the cupboards. The bathroom was devoid of toiletries. Clearly the man had gone and Fallon hadn't a clue as to where. A tech called to him and pointed to a smear on the bathroom sink. "Sir, this might be something."

"Some kind of ointment?" Fallon asked.

"I don't know sir," the tech replied. "We need to get it to the lab."

"Well do it," Fallon ordered. "Right now it's all we've got."

* * *

"Are you sick, Mama?" Lily asked as Kate just stared at the special Castle pre-exam triple chocolate muffin which lay untouched on her breakfast plate.

"No, sweetheart. I'm fine, just a little nervous. I have a big test today."

"Lagi says there's no reason to be nervous about tests. They just show you that you have something new to learn, and that should be exciting. I missed three words on my last spelling test, but then I learned ten more - and I learned them in Spanish too."

"Lagi has a point," Kate admitted. "Learning something new is wonderful, and I'm always going to keep doing it. But passing this test will make it easier for me to help people, and I really want to do that."

Lily nodded sagely. "I know you do, Mama. Like Marla. You're always helping people. I hope you get everything right." Lily held up crossed fingers.

Kate couldn't help smiling at her daughter. "Thanks."

"The two days of the bar exam are going to be long, very long," Castle thought, as the morning wore on. Lily wasn't the only one who'd noticed the tension in the house. The twins seemed to have picked up on it as well, and their outflow of pee and poop was prodigious. He wondered if it would have been easier if they were still in diapers. At least then all he's have to do would be to change them. But now there were endless potty trips. It seemed like every time he got his thoughts together for a decent paragraph, never mind a page, there was another one. There was no sign of infection and they were definitely not in pain, just on edge. Life would be so much easier, if less interesting, when November came and they would be old enough to join Lily at Latu's Trails. But that was more than four months off. His current chapter was almost finished anyway and his editor at Curtis and Strom wasn't expecting it until the end of the week. It was Tuesday and Kate would be finished with her test at five o'clock on Wednesday. He could hunker down with the boys and smash trains, build Duplo towers, and anything else they wanted until then. He was sure Lily would have projects as well. Summer at Latu's Trails was devoted to maximum creativity, something of which his daughter had no lack. He could let his work slide for a couple of days. It might even stir something new in his brain.

* * *

"It's allergy ointment?" Fallon asked the agent who brought him the lab report. "Kremnitzer's allergic to something?"

"The guys at the lab said he could have just gotten a bug bite or something, sir. In an apartment like that..."

"I don't give a damn what his problem is, except I hope it's painful. Canvass all the stores that sell that stuff, around where he was living. Get all their security video too. Maybe there's something that will help us figure out where he went. We've got nothing from TSA, bus stations, train stations, or toll cameras. He's got to be pretty close. Oh, and get the pictures out to the cabbies too. Not too many of them in that area. If someone picked him up they might remember." The agent nodded and scuttled out of Fallon's office.


	6. Chapter 6

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 6

Castle would have liked to greet Kate at the door with flowers and Barrister Bear. He'd had them delivered and they were waiting in his office. Unfortunately, Jake had toppled a giant plastic brick structure that Reese had been building, and bedlam had broken out just before Kate's arrival. By the time he got the boys calmed down, Kate had plopped on the couch and was taking some deep yoga breaths to get her thoughts together. He brought her the bouquet, the bear, and a glass of red wine. "That bad?"

"I guess not," Kate admitted. "I mean I got through all the questions and the essays. There was nothing I hadn't seen before, or at least heard about. I just wish I was more familiar with some of it. Anyway, I can't spend the two months until the scores are posted, agonizing about it. What are the kids doing?"

"Reese is an architect, Jake is a demolition expert, and Lily is writing leitmotifs for all her animals. She said something about using them for a sonata."

Kate shook her head. "Wow, of all the ways I imagined our lives together, I never thought about raising a musical prodigy."

"I know, right," Castle agreed. "She's definitely been a surprise. I was thinking more along the lines of Nancy Drew. We still might end up with the Hardy Boys."

"Speaking of detection, have you heard any further news about the Nano-Life killer?"

"Not a word. I'd have to assume that means he's still at large. If the feds had caught him, they'd be shouting it from the rooftops. But they haven't said anything about expanding the manhunt either. They probably think he's held up somewhere in the city where cash buys anonymity, like we tried to do when IA was convinced that you'd murdered Vulcan Simmons."

"You know, Castle, Bracken found us, found me, pretty quickly when we did that."

Castle shuddered. "He did. I wasn't gone that long getting us a car, and by the time I came back, his henchmen had almost killed you and you were bleeding all over the hallway. How do you think he managed that?"

"That was one of the things I couldn't let go of in my investigation, Castle," Kate explained. "I know how he did it. He used his drug operation. He had sources all over the street. He supplied them, and they kept him informed."

"So what happened to his network after his operations were dismantled?" Castle asked.

"It's not like drugs on the street have gone away, Castle, especially with the uptick in heroin. You know that Locksat controlled things for a while and then when we finally took it and Caleb Brown down, the cartel would have put a new organization in place. Narcotics would know who the current players are."

"Might some of them be C.I.'s?" Castle wondered.

"Most likely. Narcotics can't really function without informants. What are you getting at, Castle?"

"Just this," Castle responded. "If, with of all our skills, we could still be tracked by a street network, why couldn't our killer? Ryan still has contacts in Narcotics. He uses them all the time. Espo still has people on the street too. With his and Maria's connections to the community, they trust him. Suppose I offer the services of RCI to Fallon, gratis of course, to track down the whereabouts of our killer. Fallon won't like it, but he has nothing to lose. He's given in when he's been up against a wall before. And I can probably write it off as research for a future book. If we can catch this guy, his psychology should be fascinating."

"Or pathetic," Kate suggested. "but either way, Babe, you can give it a try."

* * *

Castle's call stuck in Fallon's craw. It was true his people were at a virtual standstill. They knew Kremitzer was allergic to something and that a clerk at a convenience store remembered him because his hands were such a mess, but it had brought them no closer to finding whatever hole he had managed to stuff himself into. Fallon didn't appreciate Castle politely thrusting that fact in his face, and he had been tempted to tell the writer where he could shove his offer of help. Still he was about out of options. Castle's firm had cracked some pretty goddamn big cases, and Fallon would be irresponsible to turn down their assistance, especially since it was free. Grudgingly, he had sent Castle the file on Kremnitzer, to pass on to his investigators. He just hoped he wouldn't have to stand in front of a press conference and attribute his success to private detectives. If they did succeed, some speech about the cooperation of the fine citizens of New York would probably be enough.

* * *

Kate sank into warm vanilla scented bubbles. Castle had fed the twins sliders on gluten free buns and ordered a super sized pineapple and Canadian bacon pizza, which they'd shared with Lily. As the sweet and savory had comforted from within, the bath was doing the rest of the job, especially with the addition of another glass of red wine. She wished Rick could join her, but it would be a while before the kids were ready for bed. She picked up her dog-eared copy of Heat Wave and turned to page one hundred and four, craving Rick's imaginings, which had eventually morphed into an even better reality. Burying herself in them, she pushed the bar exam to the backwaters of her brain.

* * *

Marshall Kremnitzer gingerly flexed his fingers. They were getting better - slowly. He was spending less time in the can, too. Soon he'd be able to leave the rat hole claiming to be a motel room. It was time to make plans. He knew he couldn't risk any transportation where he might be caught on camera. That pretty much limited him to cars and back roads. A boat would be possible, except that he even got seasick on the Staten Island Ferry. He had a destination in mind. At one point, he'd been considered for employment at an old style "lab in the woods", in the part of southern New Jersey that was more a suburb of Philadelphia. He'd been turned down for the job, but kept track of the place, rejoicing in its fall from grace. The conglomerate that bought it, had abandoned it when they moved their operations to Texas, where the regulators were more willing to look the other way at certain ecological irregularities. The place was still kept on the books because a closure would have meant a large outflow of monies to pay for environmental remediation, but it was largely unused, with just a skeleton staff to give the appearance of activity. There were outlying buildings that were completely unoccupied, but the utilities were live. If he could make it there, he could set up a nice place for himself. He might even outfit a little laboratory to run some of his own experiments he'd long put aside. Then when things cooled down, he could find a more permanent plan for his future. The more he thought about the idea, the more he loved it. He'd have to find a car an owner would hand over for cash, but the computer at a local library and Craig's list would probably take care of that - as soon as he could manage to type again. It would not be long, and he would be on his way. He never gave a moment's thought to the drug dealer who occupied a regular spot in the motel parking lot.


	7. Chapter 7

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 7

On Friday morning, Castle was up long before the kids. In the distraction of the Kremnitzer case the day before, he hadn't finished the chapter that was due to his editor at Curtis and Strom, at least not to his satisfaction. The words in the sentences seemed in the wrong order to convey the maximum emotional impact. His phone buzzed with Esposito's ID. "Castle, your boy's been seen. He's at the country's crappiest hotel in Brooklyn. Small time dealer there saw him dickering over a car. So it looks like he might be ready to take off."

"Thanks Espo, "Castle replied. "I'll get the intel to Fallon, if he answers his phone this early. How's Maria doing?"

"Bro, I'm sure you know how it goes. I'm keeping crackers all over the apartment and in my pockets for her. But she hurls and then she grins at me. She says her mom told her she was sickest with her healthiest babies. The way Maria is going, the kid should be Superman."

"You can't fault her attitude," Castle offered. "Hope her mom is right. Now you should try to grab some sleep, man. Believe me, you should get it while you can."

"Copy that, Castle. Just hope Fallon's feds don't find a way to screw things up."

"Yeah," Castle agreed. "Me too."

* * *

The caravan of black SUVs made its way to the ironically named Best Value motel in Brooklyn. As a heavily armed squad ringed the place, a square jawed Agent Faraday showed Kremnitzer's picture to the suddenly alert clerk at the squalid front desk. "Yeah he was here, pain in the ass too. Complaining that nothing worked, like this was the Four Seasons or something. He was in three oh six, but he left a couple hours ago. Took off in a car, I think. He was carrying his stuff out to the parking lot, having a little trouble, something wrong with his hands."

"Did you get a license plate?" Faraday asked.

The clerk snorted. "Are you kidding? Guys like that, they come here, 'cause we don't notice stuff like that. Some of them are just here for very short stays, about an hour, if you know what I mean. TMI is not good for business."

"Did you at least see what kind of car?" Faraday persisted.

"Didn't see it, but heard it. Bum muffler. Wouldn't be surprised if it fell off someplace along the way."

Faraday immediately pulled out his phone.

* * *

Merkle's Muffler Service was glad to have the business. Since the Golden King franchise had moved in down the road, his customer base had shrunk considerably. When the customer requesting a new muffler for a rusty Mercury Marquis Station Wagon said his name was "Cash," Merkle wasn't about to dispute it. He just got to work.

* * *

Fallon banged a fist against his dashboard at Faraday's report. The operation was just too damn slow. He was really beginning to appreciate Castle's disdain for protocol. If he had just driven out to the motel himself when he got the call, he might have caught Kremnitzer himself. "Alright," he sighed, "put out a BOLO for cars with a busted muffler. Get bulletins out to all the muffler shops in the area too. Maybe he'll try to get the damn thing fixed.

* * *

Kate thought it was only fair to stay with the twins while Rick paid a visit to Curtis and Strom. Normally he'd just email the chapter, but he'd said he had a few details he wanted to work through with his editor. She suspected that his trip had more to do with getting out of the house than fine tuning a chapter, but she couldn't blame him. He'd been doing more than his share of holding the fort, not to mention aiding in the hunt for Marshall Kremnitzer. He was more than entitled to a breather. He'd also promised pastrami sandwiches from the best kosher deli in the city, which just happened to be a block from Curtis and Strom. Her stomach rumbled at the thought.

Kate's anticipatory salivation was interrupted by a loud crash, followed by howls, from the twins' room. She arrived on the run. Reese had piled toy cars on top of his latest structure, and when Jake knocked it down, one managed to hit him in the face. Jake was distressed at his injury and Reese was angry at the loss of his masterpiece. She checked Jake for blood or any sign the car had damaged an eye. There was a shallow scratch on his cheek, but that was all. She distracted Jake with his train and reassured Reese that he could rebuild better then ever. As she watched her boys get back to the business of play, she couldn't help smiling. Whatever was going on in the world, plastic blocks and plastic trains were more important to them. She hoped that innocence would continue for at least a few years more.

* * *

Castle followed the sharp olfactory tang of kosher pickles through the door of Kaplowitz's Deli. The rich fatty scent of freshly sliced pastrami joined it. He grabbed a number from the dispenser on the counter and noted the "Now Serving" board. There were twenty people ahead of him. It wasn't surprising, that close to the lunch hour. He settled himself at at a small table to wait, and opened his laptop. There were changes he needed to make to the notes for his next chapter, but they didn't take long. After he finished, he occupied himself with people watching.

His eyes shifted to a small table in a back corner. He could only see the back of the man sitting there, but the full head of white hair topping the six foot four body was unmistakable. Castle moved to a table next the one the man occupied. "Dad, what are you doing here?"

"You left me a message. I can track your phone or your laptop. Take your pick. And I love the corned beef. So," Hunt continued, "I assume this is about the idiot who loosed that virus at Nano-Life. There are a few good chuckles going around that your guys are doing a better job than Homeland and that ass Fallon. He just let Kremnitzer get away again. Your killer is heading to South Jersey."

"How did you?" Castle exclaimed. "Never mind. Does inter-agency cooperation extend to helping Fallon out?"

"He'll catch up. The way he's going, he'll get a description of the car and he should be able to track it from there. There's not really a hurry. Kremnitzer's not a threat, terrorist or otherwise. He doesn't have any more virus. He can't kill anyone else. They'll round him up eventually and stick him in a hole. But it won't make a difference. We're more concerned with the virus Kremnitzer didn't steal."

"What do you mean?" Castle asked.

"The slower incubation strain. Perfect to be released by genuine terrorists in train stations, sporting events, anywhere with crowds of people. They'll be contagious for days before they even know they're sick. By that time, it will have spread all over the country and abroad. An epidemic will be completely out of control and there won't be a damn thing we can do about it. Somehow when the lab closed down, a vial of it disappeared and our government can't admit it, because we weren't supposed have it in the first place"

"And you're telling me this why? Isn't this super classified? It sounds like there would be no place to run anyway."

"Son, you passed super-classified years ago. We've analyzed the records at the lab where they were working on the virus, and come up with bupkus. We haven't gotten anything out of the staff either. You're the out of the box thinker. Our analysts are bureaucratic boneheads. I need you turn those writer's eyes to what we have and see if you find something our people missed. There's a drive already in your pocket. And I think they're calling your number next. You don't want to keep Kate waiting."


	8. Chapter 8

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 8

After his father had quietly disappeared from the back of the deli, Castle fingered the drive in his pocket. Suddenly the pastrami had lost it's allure, but he'd promised Kate. When his number was called, he ordered the sandwiches and a container of potato salad and picked up the subway to head back to Fieldston. Usually he enjoyed the half mile walk from the train to his castle-like abode, but this time the darkness in his mind blocked the boost he would normally have absorbed from the summer sun.

His mood was obvious to Kate the moment she saw him. "Bad session with your editor?"

Castle shook his head and held up the drive Hunt had given him. "From dear old Dad. We got problems, Beckett."

"If you're calling me Beckett, you've slipped into cop mode. What's going on?"

"Nothing much. Just that a terrorist might take out a substantial portion of the population." He handed her the deli bag. "Look, can we scarf these later? I really need to get into what my father just dumped on me."

Kate laid a hand on his cheek. "Of course Babe. You do what you have to do."

* * *

Marshall Kremnitzer had taken the N.J. Turnpike most of the way to his destination, pulling a jockey cap over his eyes at toll booths. The "lab in the woods" was at the end of a rural road through thick trees, where he felt little danger of observation. Finally he reached the destination he sought, an abandoned building close to the tree cover. He disguised the Marquis with a camouflage tarp he'd picked up at a survival store. It would never fool anyone at close range, but the car would be hard to spot from a satellite, a drone, or from any distance away. It would would definitely not be visible from the main building where a handful of people toiled to create the illusion of productivity.

Marshall checked out his new quarters. Much of the laboratory equipment was still in place. It would have been more practical to equip a lab with upgraded equipment than to pack the aging analytical tools and transport them. There was even a workable old style ethernet connection. The break room was intact too, although the refrigerator had been turned off and left open to air. Marshall closed it and turned it back on, delighted to hear the rumble of the compressor coming to life. The bathrooms functioned and there was a couch in the lounge that wouldn't be a bad place to sleep. For the first time in a long time, Marshall felt home. He pulled out a laptop, loaded with images he'd made of pages of Kirsty Marcus's lab notebooks. He'd been through them before, with a feeling that something was not right. Now he would take his time to draw great satisfaction in figuring out just where the arrogant section chief had erred. He might even send his notes anonymously to her boss. Yes, that would be very gratifying indeed.

* * *

Castle scanned the contents of the drive his father had given him. There were lists of dates, tests, test results, and initials. There was also a short list of lab personnel, that put names to the initials. He couldn't begin to interpret the results. He couldn't imagine his father expected him to. But he could look for patterns from the various researchers. The different strains of the virus appeared to be identified by code numbers, with identical tests assigned to code numbers with various results. No two results were exactly the same, but some were closer than others. The closest results corresponded to one particular code number. More than close, they appeared to repeat in cycles, whereas none of the other samples did. Castle had seen something like that before, when he was in school. Some of his buddies had skipped out on a series of experiments, for afternoon make out sessions with the girls from a neighboring institution. With a pretty good idea of how the results were supposed to appear, they faked their data, even using different colors of ink. They hadn't gotten away with it. As Castle recalled, the teacher had thought the results too perfect for the students to achieve. He'd run a statistical analysis which showed an error rate too low for the historical results from the school lab. The boys were failed and expelled for cheating. The situations seemed eerily similar. Could someone have been faking these results, and if so why? The initials on the report indicated that several researchers had made the entries, but they had all been approved by Kristy Marcus, the group leader. If there was fakery going on, there was collusion to produce it, possibly under the auspices of Dr. Marcus. If results were forged, there would have been every reason for a virus to disappear. Like the murders committed by Marshall Kremnitzer, it was possible that what happened had nothing to do with terrorism at all. Castle took a deep breath. If he was right, it would be a relief he couldn't begin to express. But he couldn't be sure. He left another message for Hunt and decided it was time to warm up the neglected sandwiches.

* * *

Kate perused the reports Maria had emailed. As Kate had spent more and more time with law school and legal matters, Maria's burden as executive director had grown. She had more than competently handled the work, but there would be no way she could deal with the load when the baby came. Maria had made it clear that she would be taking leave. Kate knew from experience that when Maria returned, even if the baby was in the nurturing daycare at the center, it would still require a considerable amount of Maria's time and energy. By the time Maria delivered, Jake and Reese would be spending part of the day at Latu's Trails. Kate would be able to pick up some of the slack, but assuming she passed the bar, she'd be doing even more legal work. They would need an assistant director. Kate had no possible candidate in mind, but perhaps Maria would. Kate picked up her phone.

* * *

Agent Faraday knocked on the door frame of Fallon's office. "Sir, we've traced the route of the car Kremnitzer was driving. We think he was on his way to West Delmford New Jersey."

"What's in West Delmford New Jersey?" Fallon inquired.

Faraday shrugged. "Not much. It used to be a research center, but most of that moved out. There are a lot of empty houses, pretty nice ones, too. Kremnitzer might have decided to squat in one. We have a BOLO out to the local police for the car and for Kremnitzer, but so far there's nothing."

"Alright, stay on it," Fallon instructed.

* * *

Kremnitzer bent over his images from the lab notebook again, examining the codes the viruses had been assigned. He remembered them well. He'd made use of them to select his weapon against Nano-Life. There were twelve strains listed. There should have been twelve tubes in the rack he'd raided. But there had been only eleven. Kristy could have sent a strain to another group to double check her results, but somehow Marshall felt she didn't. She had too much distrust for those outside her circle. At the very least, she was guilty of a serious breach in record keeping. He'd make a note of that when he sent his missive to those who'd been above her, but he was sure there was more.


	9. Chapter 9

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 9

Marshall Kremnitzer readied his letter to the directors of the research lab that had employed him and Kristy Marcus. It was clear he couldn't use email. It was too easily traceable. But a letter dropped at a post office in the middle of the night could come from anyone, anywhere. The postmark would say where it was mailed, but not where it originated. He had worn gloves handling the paper and the envelope. The lab in which he was dwelling still had boxes of them, even if they were the old latex instead of more modern nitrile. He used water instead of his tongue to seal the envelope, avoiding leaving DNA. When darkness came, he uncovered his car and drove four cities over to drop it in the slot at a post office before returning to his lair. The smug superiority of Kristy and her colleagues would vanish. They would be just as radioactive as he had been.

* * *

Jenny Ryan was a little surprised at the call from Kate. She would have loved to have a houseful of children, but the complications of Nicholas' birth had limited her to two. Now that both kids spent much of the day in school, even during the summer program, she'd looked for something child related to do that she could fit around the part time fashion classes she gave for department store buyers. Volunteering in the daycare unit at the Fill the Cracks Center had filled that need. Kate was often in the building, but they rarely crossed paths, normally seeing each other more often on social occasions. But Kate had said she wanted to talk to Jenny about an actual job there. They agreed to meet in the small office Kate maintained at FTC.

August temperatures had soared and Jenny was happy to accept the chilled bottle of water Kate offered. Kate took a sip from a bottle of her own before beginning their conversation. "Maria tells me you've taken over most of the administration of daycare. That's been quite a load of paperwork off her desk. She said you've been doing a really good job. She also told me you're aware that she's expecting."

Jenny laughed. "Well even if Javi hadn't bragged to Kevin about it, it would be hard to miss the signs. We've both been there."

"Don't I know it," Kate agreed. "And we both understand why Maria will be taking some time off with the baby. That leaves us with a gap to fill at FTC. Maria and I have talked about it. We'd like you to serve as an assistant director, if you're willing. We'd want you to start soon, to learn the ropes while she's around."

Jenny looked at Kate incredulously. "Me? Maria's a trained counselor. My degree is in fashion. She knows what to say. She knows how to make all the referrals. I just help parents with registration and take care of babies."

"You do more than that," Kate countered. "Maria says many of our clients have found you a compassionate listener, and that's what a lot of the job is about. We have files of referrals and we have licensed counselors when they are needed. We also have legal help. All you need is to do is aim people in the right direction and keep things organized. Maria has confidence that you can do that, and so do I. I know Kevin has been trying to save as much money as he can to put Sarah Grace and Nicholas through college. You could earn a decent salary." Kate wrote a number on a piece of paper and handed it to Jenny.

"That's pretty generous," Jenny replied. "Kate, I'll need to think about this and I want to talk to Kevin."

Kate nodded. "Of course. Just let me know as soon as you can."

* * *

Returning to old habits, Castle and Hunt sat back to back on benches in Central Park. "So what do you have for me, son?" Hunt asked.

Castle passed him a drive. "I think some of the lab results were faked. I have them listed with the code for the strain. If that's the one you believe was stolen, there's a chance it may not even exist."

"That's a pretty big leap! Are you sure?" Hunt queried.

Castle blew air through his lips with a hiss. "No I'm not. I'm not sure of anything. If that code goes to some other strain, my theory is out the window and public health may be headed down the tubes. But if I'm right, we may be looking for terrorists that don't exist. I fervently hope the latter is the case."

"It might be fun to watch Homeland keep chasing a mirage," Hunt chuckled, "Keep 'em out of trouble. But I hope you're right, son."

* * *

Mark Fallon examined the photos Agent Faraday handed him. "What is this?"

"That's an anonymous letter that went to the head of the consortium that ran the lab Kremnitzer stole the virus from. It outlines a litany of alleged violations of protocol by a Dr. Kristy Marcus. I think it may have come from Kremnitzer."

"Why?" Fallon asked.

"It has a postmark in Southern New Jersey within driving distance of West Delmford. It references the virus. And it reads like a disgruntled college student trying to tattle on his professor. It's Kremnitzer's style."

"There's no back address," Fallon noted. "We already knew the general area. How does this help us find him?"

"I don't know," Faraday admitted, "but our lab guys are analyzing it for chemical residue. Maybe something will show up that will give us a hint to Kremnitzer's hideout."

Fallon tapped the photos against the top of his desk. "Sounds like a long shot."

"Yes, sir," Faraday agreed, "but right now we don't have anything else."

* * *

Castle loaded the twins into their seats in his car, so he could go get Lily from Latu's Trails. While a deadly virus might be imaginary, the severe summer cold that was ravaging the school was real. Lily had seemed fine that morning, if a little quiet, but the school had called to say she had already gone through a box of tissues, was miserable, and would probably be more comfortable at home. When Castle checked with her pediatrician's office, he found them well aware of the malady and handing out recommendations for vaporizers and chicken soup. Fortunately, Castle had both on hand. He just hoped that Lily's gift wouldn't spread throughout the household.

It was a vain hope. By the next evening, both he and Kate had scratchy throats and the twins had the whininess that signaled an oncoming illness. He generously squeezed honey into two cups of Lapsang Souchong tea and handed one to Kate. "You know," he mused, "while we're cowering in fear of bugs that make blood come out of your eyes, the country could be largely immobilized by one that makes fuzz inhabit your brains and mucus come out of your nose. While we're filling our trash cans with spent tissues, they could be filling their coffers with money and valuables snatched from right under the runny noses they've infected. Ooh, maybe it's the precursor to an alien invasion. We think it's just a summer cold, then all the snot joins together to become a massive organism that covers the earth."

Kate stuck her nose into the steam rising from her cup and did her best to inhale deeply. "Castle I think your fuzzy brain has been watching too many James Gunn movies. I don't know how he got away with making Slither Two, let alone Slither Three."

"Because everyone loves zombies and the guy playing Bill Pardy is still ruggedly handsome," Castle insisted. "But you may have a point about my brain. No zombie would find it delicious right now. A little while ago I used the term 'singularity,' three times on the same page. At least if we all have this affliction about the same time, we'll get through it faster and can get back to being normal."

"Castle, one thing this family will never be, is normal."

Castle smiled wryly. "Again, you have a point."

Kate's cell rang and Jenny Ryan's I.D. appeared on the screen. "Kate, I just wanted to tell you that even though I agreed to take the job, I can't start for at least a few days. Nicholas and Sarah Grace both have that cold that's going around and I think Kevin and I are getting it too."

Kate sighed. "Of course."


	10. Chapter 10

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 10

"Sir, we've got the lab results on the letter," Agent Faraday announced.

"Anything useful?" Fallon asked.

"I think so, sir. There were traces of latex and powder. Kremnitzer wore gloves. But the lab said that the latex protein had aged, so they were old gloves. They also found trace amounts of..." Faraday stopped to read the report. "Methylisobutylketone."

"What the hell is that?" Fallon demanded.

"According to the lab boys, it's a denaturing agent for two hundred proof alcohol. That's alcohol made for certain tests where there can't be any water. It keeps it from being drinkable, otherwise the government taxes it as booze. Anyway, they said those tests weren't used much anymore. Putting that together with the gloves, they think the letter and the envelope may have come from an old lab," Faraday explained. "It could be one of the ones abandoned in West Delmford."

"Then I want people checking out every one of those buildings. We are going to catch that motherfucker," Fallon declared.

* * *

Kristy Marcus had no idea where she was or what she was doing there, she just knew it wasn't good. No one puts a black hood over your head for a casual discussion, or even a trip to a classified lab. Somehow she'd fallen into a John LeCarre novel, and she had no idea how she was going to get out. She heard the click of the release of a lock and a man entered the sparse room where she'd been left with no explanation. He didn't look particularly imposing. His face was mild and moderately handsome. He wasn't scowling, but he wasn't smiling either. "Dr. Marcus," he began, "we have a problem." He produced a copy of Kremnitzer's letter as well as copies of her lab results. "It is possible that you and your people mishandled a virus, a very dangerous biological weapon. It is also possible that somehow that virus was stolen from your laboratory. A third alternative also exists, that the virus never existed in the first place, and you and your people have concocted an elaborate hoax. Dr. Marcus, we need to know and we need to know right now. Are we facing a possible doomsday or not?"

Kristy covered her face with her hands. "Not."

"Then I think you'd best explain why," Agent Danberg told her.

Kristy swallowed and began, her voice trembling. "The official story was that our our team was testing a number of variations of the Marburg virus that had been seized, rather than developed by the U.S.. But I would assume that in whatever spy agency this is, you know the official story isn't the real story. We were tasked with doing the development. The quick knockdown version that was used to murder those poor people at Nano-Life was meant to be employed to take out nests of terrorists. The idea was that seal teams could sneak in, release it, and sneak out again without firing a shot. There was another group working on a vaccine, so our people could be safe. All of us at the lab could live with that. But the other virus that was assumed to have been stolen, was meant to be as you characterized it, a doomsday weapon. It was intended to be used in a densely populated country like China and take countless innocent lives before anyone realized they'd been attacked. Even then, it would have been unstoppable. Aside from the total violation of treaties this country has signed against a weapon like that, some of us couldn't live with the sheer immorality of it. My group and I never developed it. We faked our results. We figured that in the best case, it would be like a hydrogen bomb, too fearsome to actually be used. We'd never be discovered. In the worst case if some madman did try to use it, we'd substitute something less harmful that would be judged a failure. But then that jerk stole the quick kill virus, and I believe you would know more of the rest than I do."

"Then there is no deadly virus out there?" Danberg questioned.

"Unless you count the cold that seems to have half the country down now, no," Kristy replied. "If someone engineered that one to cause havoc, they did a good job, but I suspect it's just mother nature having good laugh."

* * *

Kremnitzer looked out at the vehicles emerging from the woods. They'd found him. He had no idea how. He was sure he hadn't made any mistakes, but they had. There was no way they would get their prize. He could not be thrown in with a sea of inmates incapable of cogent thought. He couldn't imagine a worse hell. He would pick his own end, and it would be impressive and dramatic. There were gas outlets everywhere, dating back to the use of a multitude of Bunsen burners. He ran through the building, opening as many as he could. But he would not meet the sad death of asphyxiation. He could feel his consciousness fading as his oxygen starved brain cells rebelled. He held a sparker in his hands, and as a gray curtain descended over his eyes, he squeezed it.

The windows exploded outward and the building immediately burst into flames. The leading cars of the Homeland caravan were overturned by the shock wave. Other agents struggled to pull the occupants free, even as the heat of the blaze forced them back. Those furthest from the blast put out emergency calls. The building was beyond saving, but if the sparks set the nearby wood ablaze, the damage could be incalculable. Sirens screamed as crews arrived.

Fallon watched in horror. His skin was heat-reddened. His eyes burned. News of the explosion would sweep the internet, with scenes shared on Facebook and tweeted everywhere. He was determined that the name of Kremnitzer would not be. There was no way that the little bastard would achieve in death, any measure of the recognition he had sought in life. He'd make sure of it.

* * *

Fingering the packet of tissues he hoped he would no longer need, Castle took his place on the park bench, just before his father arrived. Jackson sank into his seat and promptly sneezed. "You've got it too?" Castle asked.

"Damn cold is more annoying than some of the bullet wounds I've had," Hunt declared in disgust. "Our people are studying it as a way to cut productivity and attack financial markets. They're saying it might do more damage than a cyber-attack."

Castle shook his head in disgust. "It never stops, does it. So what happened, Dad? There's been no mention of Kremnitzer on the web, not even on the conspiracy sites. No mention of a doomsday virus either - other than the usual chatter from the aluminum hat crowd."

"Kremnitzer's dead, son. Not even enough him left to put in fancy urn. That accidental gas explosion in South Jersey wasn't accidental. But that whole chapter is closed. You were right, there was no doomsday virus. Everyone involved in the affair has been taken care of."

"Yeah, I bet," Castle offered. "I probably don't want to know how. I'll just go home knowing that my family, if sniffling, will live to fight another day. By the way, if you want to sneak in, or just plant a bug, Lily has another concert scheduled."

"I'll keep it in mind," Hunt replied, before sneezing again. "Damn," he muttered as he walked away.

* * *

Kristy Marcus regarded her new lab, completely outfitted with the most high tech equipment she'd ever seen. There were also cameras taking in every move she made. "Giving our enemies a nasty cold," she thought, "that she could handle."

A/N Here's a short story about 200 proof alcohol. Long long ago, in a college lab galaxy far away, we used to do things called sodium fusions. They involved using sodium to completely destroy an organic compound, so that anything that was attached to it, like a nitrogen atom, could be tested for. They were very dramatic. Among other things, they involved adding 200 proof alcohol to use up excessive sodium, producing a nice whooshing display. Then we smashed the test tube into a beaker of water, and analyzed the solution. It was not the safest thing in the world, but probably more fun than most things I've done in a lab. Anyway, the alcohol we used was not denatured. It was quite drinkable. It had the government liquor sticker right over the cap. And you know what you got if you mixed it with water? Some pretty good vodka. Brothers and sisters of the lab, screwdrivers all around! Well, not really, but some of us made them in our rooms. You won't see Abby do that on NCIS.


	11. Chapter 11

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 11

As Lily took a bow, she spotted the tall man with the white hair standing at the back of the room where she'd given her concert. She'd seen him before sometimes, when her father had taken her to the park or she'd been shopping with Mama. But when she'd asked who he was, her parents had gotten funny looks on their faces and suggested that he was probably just a neighbor. Some of the neighbors had come to her concerts, but they were the same ones who came to the house for Halloween or stopped by for parties. He'd never done that. He'd never even spoken to Lily.

Jackson Hunt slipped out the back door before the rest of the concert goers reached the exit. He was pretty sure he'd seen a look of recognition on Lily's face. He silently cursed himself. He could be setting up another Paris. He'd have to be more careful, especially the way things were going now. The 2016 election had emboldened the Russians. Even with the change in power at the midterm elections and the sweeping changes that took place in 2021, they had established a firm foothold that was not easily dislodged. With another election approaching in a few months, their activity was rising. He and the younger men he now supervised had to be prepared to quash it. He couldn't afford to have anyone get to him through his family. Richard's suggestion to plant a bug to hear Lily instead of showing up in person, hadn't been a bad idea. He might consider it in the future. But right now he had work to do.

* * *

"We are off to the Hamptons," Castle announced as he loaded the last of the twins' paraphernalia into the car. Let the Labor Day celebration commence!"

Kate slid gratefully into the passenger seat. There was no doubt that she could use a break. Jenny was a great help, but new needs were springing up everyday. The newest ones sprang from what had been the brief lifting of environmental controls in 2017. Businesses had taken full advantage, polluting waterways, including the Hudson, and avoiding the costs that would have come with treating the hazardous wastes they released into the ground. As a result, many industrial areas had become toxic, with solvents and heavy metals leaching into the soil and water table. Even though the regulations were reinstated, the damage had been done, most of it in poorer areas. Respiratory illnesses and cancers, especially in children, had risen. The center was helping with the filing of lawsuits, but recovery was an almost impossible task. The companies involved claimed that their releases had taken place during the time when they were legal, and little could be done to dispute their claim. The most the center could do was push for legislation to help the victims. Even as her stomach twisted, with Castle's help, she had begun to renew her political connections. The long family weekend would be a welcome respite from those efforts.

Traffic was heavy, stretching what could have been a ninety minute drive to closer to three hours, especially with rest room stops. Overflowing with unreleased energy, the twins bounded out of the car as soon as Rick and Kate freed them from their safety seats. Lily was anxious for action as well, impatiently waiting while Rick unlocked the door to the beach house. "Can I go in the pool?" she queried.

Rick gave Kate a questioning look, as the family made their way inside. "Go upstairs and put on your swim suit," Kate advised her daughter. "Daddy and I will get your brothers ready and we'll all go together."

A voice came through the open door behind them. "Sorry to intrude."

Castle turned. "Chief Brady, what brings you to our not so humble abode?"

"Look, I know you two no longer work with the N.Y.P.D., but I could use your expertise. We may have had a murder."

"May have?" Castle repeated. "Don't you know if someone if dead?"

"That's just it," Brady admitted, "I don't. Bernie Shapiro is missing and we found some blood near his pool, but our M.E. isn't sure that it's enough to say definitively that he's dead. He may just have injured himself somehow and gone off somewhere. We're canvassing to find someone who's seen him, but he had another one of his parties last night and most of his friends and neighbors are only about half conscious."

"Have you figured out who saw him last?" Kate asked.

"That's just it," Brady explained. "He had a house full of people. The cover wasn't even off the pool. No one knows when he left the party, or why he went out there."

"And you're sure that it's his blood?" Kate persisted.

"Pretty much," Brady declared. "He's AB negative, pretty rare. The blood we found is AB negative. The M.E. has the lab running a DNA comparison to Shapiro's toothbrush, but he expects confirmation. I admit I'm at a loss, where do we go from here?"

"You have to construct a time line," Kate advised. "Question everyone from the party again and try to establish exactly when they saw Bernie Shapiro. If you can find out exactly when he went to the pool, and who was seen with him, it should give you a better handle on what happened. The last person to see a victim is the killer."

Brady nodded. "Right. Okay, I'll get that going. His wife gave me the guest list. Listen, I know you have the kids, but can I call you guys if I need more help?"

Kate sighed. A potential murder was the last thing she needed that weekend. Castle caught her eye and she shrugged. Castle patted Brady on the shoulder. "We can't bring the kids into an interrogation, but we can honor you with our sage advice and counsel."

Brady backed out the door. "Great! Okay, I'll be going. Need to get to work on those party guests. Hope we can wake them up."

"You do that," Castle urged. As Brady departed, Rick kicked the door closed behind him and clapped his hands together. "Now! We were going to do something about swimming."

* * *

With the languor that flows from hours of water play, Lily and the twins ate their lunch in relative quiet. Castle dug into a container of cole slaw. "So," he asked Kate, "what do you think of Brady's case?"

"I've been trying not to think anything about it," Kate confessed. "We don't even know that anything happened. Maybe Shapiro was looking for some quiet time by the pool and he cut himself. Maybe he had a nosebleed and took a walk. Or maybe he had a tryst somewhere."

"Sounds like you have been thinking about it," Castle observed.

"Old habits die hard," Kate admitted. "What do you think?"

"I think you gave Brady enough work to keep him busy," Castle offered, "hopefully for at least most of the time we're here. And we check for his ID before we answer our phones. I also think if we can tire this gang out enough, perhaps with a rousing game of find the Sith Lord, we can get some time to ourselves later."

"Castle, maybe tonight I can hunt for something myself," Kate purred, stroking his leg under the table.

Castle nodded vigorously. "I'm all for a good hunt."


	12. Chapter 12

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 12

Blissful in the glow of an encore of the night before, Rick drew Kate against his side. "I think we ought to put in a pool at home," he mused. "If the kids fall asleep after playing in it as early as they did last night, and stay asleep this long in the mornings, we could live an incredibly gratifying existence."

"Castle, it will be winter in a few months," Kate pointed out. "We might be better off building a skating rink."

"It's a thought," Castle considered. "Then our Christmas display could be the best in Fieldston, maybe the best in the city."

"Except that we'd have to fence it off because it would create an attractive hazard to the kids in the neighborhood, as would a pool," Kate replied.

"I think you've been hanging around with Lanie and Alan Masters too much, but true," Castle admitted. "That would spoil the effect. Still..." He was interrupted by the buzzing of his phone. "Damn, it's Chief Brady. I could ignore it."

Kate sighed. "Then he'd just come to our door. See what he wants."

Brady's voice came excitedly through the speaker. "Castle, Kate, the blood at Bernie Shapiro's pool didn't belong to him. The lab said it would match up with a son, but his wife says he doesn't have a son. And Bernie is still missing."

"Wow, obviously the man lied to his wife, but if you threw men in jail for that, most husbands would be behind bars," Castle noted.

Kate flashed her husband a dirty look. "Chief, right now it sounds like you're investigating a missing persons case. If Bernie Shapiro does have a son, that might have something to do with his disappearance. You need to investigate Shapiro's background."

"I already did an online background search," Brady protested. "Most of the information about him touts his prestigious medical career. There's no public record of any past marriages, or a son."

"Then you need to talk to the people who know him," Kate suggested, "his family, old friends."

"I don't have the manpower for that," Brady complained. "and since there's no real evidence of a crime, I could never justify spending the public's money to get it. But Mrs. Shapiro wants to know where her husband is, if just to rake him over the coals. Castle, you have a detective agency. You know Yetta Shapiro. You could offer her your services. There might even be a fat payday in it for you. According to the records I saw, she's the one who's loaded."

Rick raised an eyebrow at Kate, who rolled her eyes but nodded."My daughter is the one who manages Richard Castle Investigations, but I can pay a call on Yetta," Castle offered.

"Great!" Brady exclaimed. "I really appreciate this Castle."

"Remember that next time someone tickets my car," Castle responded, before hanging up.

* * *

Yetta Shapiro did not appear to be a formidable woman. She was only five foot two, and years past wearing a size eight. Her hair was graying and her face held none of the immobility that would have been a telltale of the botox shots of which her neighbors were so fond. Yet she was determined that her husband be found. She invited Castle into her sitting room and served very strong coffee. Castle would have liked to ask for sugar, but didn't dare. "Rick," she began, after taking a large sip of her challenging brew, "there is no doubt that Richard Castle investigations has an impressive reputation. I understand that you have several former New York City detectives working for your agency now."

Castle nodded. "Yes, I worked with them at the Twelfth Precinct. They are all outstanding. And we have other talented operatives as well."

"Glad to hear it," Yetta acknowledged, "but I want the former cops on this. My husband was into something and I need people who understand the dark underbelly of society."

Castle bit the inside of his lip to keep a straight face at her characterization. "Indeed," he agreed. "If there is anyone who understands the mean streets, they do. I'll call our administrator right now to make the arrangements, and we'll have detectives on top of this right away."

* * *

Alexis was feeling sorry for herself. She and Sergei had planned a long weekend with Bernard, but Sergei had been called into the lab the last minute, on a case. Had she known ahead of time, she would have taken her son with her and gone with her family for their holiday in the Hamptons. As it was, she was left keeping an eye on Bernard while he watched a Baby Einstein video, and unsuccessfully trying to interest herself in the latest product of the James Patterson book mill. She was surprised to receive the call from her father, but then hastily put her own calls out to Kevin, Javi, and Roselyn. Roselyn had plans with her wife and Kevin and Jenny had a family picnic. With Maria hosting an event at the FTC center, Javi was free and willing to take a drive to the Hamptons. Alexis decided to take Bernard and go as well, confident that she could leave her son with her father and Kate, if her sleuthing skills were required. There was also Lily, who took great pride in being an aunt, and was always enthusiastic about playing with her nephew. The energetic girl would be overjoyed to help amuse the toddler. Given her father's caution that Yetta Shapiro preferred ex-cops, Alexis would have Javi make the personal contact, and she could do any computer work that might be required. Otherwise, she could join her family for swimming and barbecue.

* * *

The cabin was of the type rented out to occasional weekend visitors in the cheap part of the Hamptons, but the owner had died and it had fallen into disuse. Ben seemed to be resting comfortably, although Bernie was alert for any signs of infection. The cabin wasn't exactly sterile and not his preferred venue to remove a bullet. Throughout his life, the boy, the result of a drunken night at a conference, had always been getting into trouble of one sort or another. Bernie had the lawyer that finagled Ben out of his difficulties, on speed dial. But the boy had never gotten himself hurt before. Ben hadn't told Bernie how it happened, but he made it very clear that he couldn't afford to have a bullet wound reported to the police. So Bernie would take care of things - again.

This was one of many times Bernie regretted not having come clean with Yetta. It would have been a lot easier to beg forgiveness for a one night stand, than to hide the boy's existence all these years. But it was too late now. He had told too many lies, hidden too much. He didn't know how he'd explain his disappearance, perhaps a sudden call from a former patient who required his immediate and unstinting attention. That excuse would not be entirely untrue. Yetta would still be angry at the lack of contact, but if he told her he'd been stuck in surgery, also not entirely untrue, she'd forgive him. He would just have to stay with Ben long enough to assure the boy didn't develop complications, then he could go home and make amends. He imagined that agreeing to have dinner with some of the snooty cousins that she loved, but he despised, would do the trick. It usually did."


	13. Chapter 13

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 13

Jackson Hunt watched the local Russian cell through his scope. Whatever their mission, they were living it up western style. The mansion they occupied, belonging to an absent billionaire allied with the Oligarchy, made Richard's homes look like shacks. The walls boasted works of art only available at the most upscale auctions at Sotheby's. A wealth of fancy electronic toys turned the place into a modern day playground. He'd tapped into a couple of them to eavesdrop. The toys were probably why a fool kid almost blew the operation by casing the place. The kid got a bullet for his trouble, and ran off somewhere to bleed. The Russians had laughed him off as an inept fool symbolic of American decadence.

Hunt's people had been watching the house for months, until they signaled for the old man to step in. It was clear that the Russians were preparing for some sort of operation that weekend, when the populace would be taking their last chance until the winter holidays to relax and let down their guard. Their mission appeared to be some sort of political assassination; his people had just been unable to get a bead on who, when, where, or how. They were hoping he'd have better luck, but so far, when the members of the cell discussed it, the details had been nebulous. Hunt needed something to break and he needed it soon.

* * *

Javier Esposito came away from his meeting with Yetta Shapiro with a USB drive holding a list of Bernie Shapiro's family and friends. Many of them had been at the party and had already been questioned by Chief Brady. Alexis would be able to separate those out so he could concentrate on new leads. He drove toward Castle's beach house. He had been there several times over the years, starting with Rick's and Kate's disastrous non-wedding. It used to gall him that someone like Castle, just by putting words on paper, could make big enough bucks to have a place like that, while so many of Javier's buddies who put their lives on the line every day, were barely scraping by. And of course there was Kate, who fell for a guy who seemed to be a mix between a spoiled brat and hot air. It had hardly seemed right. But as the years had gone by, Javier had come to realize that Castle was anything but the clown he presented to the world. He had stood by Kate, and by his friends from the Twelfth, through the worst of times, helping out in many quiet ways that never ended up on Page Six. Javier had always prided himself on his ability to judge the people he worked with, but he had been dead wrong about Castle, and he couldn't have been happier about it.

Working for Alexis had taken some getting used to. It wasn't that she was a woman. He was used to that with Kate. But Alexis was young and had grown up with every advantage her doting father could give her. It was hard to believe she could understand what went on in the real world. Perhaps her kidnapping had made the difference, but somehow she did manage to connect, at least on some levels. Javier didn't think Alexis would ever understand what it meant to live a day in the South Bronx. But then she didn't have to. She merely had to accept that he did, and that his experience gave him a feel for hopeless desperation, that she would never share. He pulled up in the drive outside the Castle summer manse.

Alexis answered the door. "Let's get to it. Lily has been dragging Bernard around for hours, and he is dead to the world. I've just been waiting for you to get here." Alexis led Javier into the sunny living room where she'd set up her laptop on a table. He handed her the drive Yetta had given him. "I already have Brady's list loaded," she explained. "I can run a quick comparison." They both stared at the results on the screen. "We have his sister, Mona McClain, his mother, Rifka Shapiro, his partner in his practice, Morey Lipshultz, and his friend, Jacob Meyers. Meyers is the only one with an address on Long Island. All of the rest are back in the city."

"If he had a secret son, he'd be more likely to tell a friend anyway, but I wonder why Meyers wasn't at the party. Guess I'll just have to ask him."

"You go ahead," Alexis urged. "I'll run background on the rest and let you know if I find something." Esposito left and Alexis bent over her laptop.

Wrapped in a post pool-party robe, Castle came into the living room and laid a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "We're serving snacks to the ravenous horde, in the kitchen. We're making sundaes. We have Toffuti for the twins. There's real ice cream for Lily and sugar starved parents, if you want to join us. There's a fresh pot of coffee too."

"Could definitely use the coffee," Alexis said. "I've been trying to get some background on the Shapiro family. There's plenty for the first couple of generations that emigrated to the U.S. from Germany. There are all kinds of poets and musicians. There was a whole line of violinists. I think I met one of them when I was studying with Dylan. Lots of doctors and lawyers too, but Bernie didn't come from any of that. Apparently his father was considered some kind of black sheep. He loved cars and became a mechanic. He had a garage in Hicksville. Bernie grew up there. But then the family genes must have come through. He went to Columbia on a scholarship and then made it into medical school at the University of Pennsylvania. There's not much after that except for his board certifications and awards."

"If he went to high school in Hicksville, you should be able to pull up the yearbook," Castle suggested. "That may give you a handle on his friends."

"Good idea," Alexis agreed. "Um yes! And there's Jacob Meyers. They were in three clubs together, Hebrew Culture, Chemistry, and Science Fiction. They also both played the clarinet in band."

"A lot in common," Castle commented. "I can see why they might still be friends."

"I need to let Javi know what I have so far," Alexis decided.

"You want me to bring you your infusion of caffeine, or will you be grabbing a frozen treat after you talk to Espo?" Castle inquired.

Alexis pulled out her phone. "Thanks Dad, No need to play waiter. I'll be right in."

* * *

Bernie could tell an infection had taken hold in Ben. Not only was his incision inflamed, but he was spiking a fever. While Bernie had been able to grab some of the old surgical instruments that he'd kept at the house for sentimental value, he'd had no antibiotics. He didn't even keep any at his office in the city. They were all dispensed to his patients either from pharmacies or at the hospital. Ben was badly in need of some now. The only thing Bernie could think of to do, was to call in a prescription for someone he trusted. He could only think of one friend who would pick up the drugs and bring them to him, no questions asked: Jacob Meyers. The cell phone signal in the cabin was weak. He would have to slip out long enough to use the hot spot in his car. He hated to leave Ben alone for even that long, but he had no choice. He went to make his calls.


	14. Chapter 14

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 14

Jacob Meyers was just pulling out of the driveway of his small working class house as Esposito approached. Meyers drove an economy compact. Javier figured it wouldn't be tough to keep up, even hanging back to avoid notice. After a short drive, Jacob appeared to be headed toward a shopping area on Broadway. Esposito was attempting to follow him into the parking lot of a pharmacy when a deer suddenly bounded out of some nearby brush in front of his car. There was no way to avoid a collision. His airbag slammed him in the face.

"Are you all right, Javi?" Alexis inquired anxiously when she got his call.

"Yeah fine, but the car's racked up," Esposito replied in disgust. "I have a tow truck coming. He's charging triple time because of the holiday weekend. Listen, Meyers is gone but I have his plate. Can you trace it and hack into his GPS? See if he went back home? Maybe he was just picking up a prescription, but most people don't do that on a holiday weekend. Something else might be going on."

"I'd have a better chance using our office system, but I'll give it a shot," Alexis agreed. "And you can expense the tow. I got a call from Kevin. He said his family picnic was canceled by an invasion of yellow jackets. Nicholas is allergic to stings and they didn't want to take any chances. So he's going to go talk to Bernie's family. He's going to start with his sister."

"At least someone's gettin' something done," Esposito responded.

* * *

Mona McClain greeted the detective nervously. "Mr. Ryan, I'm not sure I can help you. I haven't been in touch with my brother in some time."

"Why is that?" Kevin asked.

"He's a very busy man. That doesn't lend itself to casual get-togethers. Also, I married out of the faith. That made family gatherings uncomfortable for quite a while. By the time my parents had resigned themselves to it, I was pretty much living a life separate from my family. We do the occasional Thanksgiving, but that's about the extent of our relationship."

"When was the last time you talked to your brother?" Ryan asked.

Mona closed her eyes, thinking for a moment. "Maybe about five years ago, and it was by accident. I saw him sitting in a coffee shop with some kid. I went over to say hello, but he told me he was late for an appointment and he hustled the kid out of there."

"Any idea who the kid was?" Ryan queried.

"I have my suspicions," Mona admitted. "Bernie didn't introduce us. But Bernie has a birthmark on his arm, I've always thought it looked a little like a teddy bear. The kid had one too. And they had the same eyes."

"The police did find DNA evidence that would suggest your brother has a son," Ryan shared.

Mona nodded. "Well then I guess my suspicions are confirmed. Before I came into the coffee shop, it looked like Bernie was reading the kid the riot act. And the boy had that kind of insolent look teenagers get when they're in trouble and are trying to slough it off. I wouldn't be surprised if he was in trouble again now, and my brother is helping him out. Bernie has always had a deep sense of responsibility. That's why he became a doctor."

"And he might be doing some doctoring now," Ryan muttered to himself. "One more question, if your brother wanted to hide someone, where would he take him? Maybe someplace you used to go as kids?"

"There were some cabins in the Hamptons where our family used to go when my father could scrape together the money. I'm sorry. I don't remember exactly where. They were pretty primitive and in the woods. They barely had bathrooms. I don't think anyone uses them much anymore."

Ryan nodded and handed her a card."That's helpful. If you think of anything else, can you give me a call?"

"I will," Mona agreed.

* * *

Several of the Russians had retreated to a shed outside the mansion. There were no windows and Hunt couldn't hear what they were saying. As quietly as he could, on knees that weren't what they used to be, he moved in closer, finally sticking a sound amplifier that he could monitor remotely, on one wall, before moving off again. They were speaking Russian, as they had been in the house, but the conversation was no longer nebulous. Hunt was extremely familiar with the subject of the conversation - in several languages. They were putting the finishing touches on bombs. He was tempted to call in his squad, but it was possible this wasn't the only cell involved. Without knowing the target, he could take down this nest, but not defeat the strike. He notified his people to be ready to move, and continued to listen.

* * *

Jacob drove the rutted road into the woods as fast as he could. He knew the way. He and Bernie had used the cabin as their own private hideout for years, and still did occasionally, when they really needed to shut out the world. Bernie had said it was an emergency and Jacob didn't need to know anything else, at least not at that moment. Bernie's car was on a bare patch of earth in front of the cabin. Jacob pulled in beside it, walked the few steps to the rough wooden door, and pushed it open.

Bernie was sitting beside a young man who was tossing in restless sleep on a rickety bed. "Is that Ben?" Jacob asked.

"It is," Bernie confirmed. "Do you have the things from the pharmacy?"

Jacob held out a bag with vials and disposable syringes. Bernie immediately started preparing a shot. I would have preferred to be able to give him the drugs 'IV.' That's what I'd do if he was in a hospital. We'll just have to cross our fingers that this works."

"What happened?" Jacob asked, as Bernie administered the injection."

"I've told you how many times I've had to bail him out of trouble. This time he really stepped in it. He wanted to rip off one of the mega-mansions. But he said the guys there caught him lurking outside. One of them yelled at him in a foreign language. He thought it was Russian. Anyway, the man shot him. He said he barely felt it. He just took off running for his life. But after he got away, he called me. He parked at the beach and met me at my pool. He was ready to collapse by then. I wanted to take him to the hospital, but he begged me not to. He was sure he'd be arrested. So I stopped the bleeding temporarily with what I had in the first aid kit in my pool house. Then I grabbed what instruments I could, and brought him here. The bullet is out, but the wound is infected."

"We could take him to the hospital now," Jacob suggested.

"I'd be in trouble too," Bernie answered grimly. "I could lose my license for this, or worse. We may have to take him regardless, but let's give the drugs a chance to work."

"Alright," Jacob agreed. "Do you need any thing else?"

Bernie smiled wryly. "A sandwich would be nice, corned beef with kraut."

Jacob smiled back and nodded. "You got it."


	15. Chapter 15

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 15

Rifka Shapiro's apartment was tiny but neat, with every available square foot of wall space filled with bookcases. Ryan noticed a shelf devoted to Castle's novels. "Of course I'll tell you anything you want to know, if it will help Richard Castle Investigations find my son," she declared.

Ryan sat down on the stylish wooden chair she waved him to. "Thank you Ma'am. We have been looking into the possibility of some sort of hideaway. Your daughter mentioned a cabin in the Hamptons that might be a possibility. She said they went there as children. Would you remember a place like that?"

Rifka snorted. "Well of course I would! I'm not senile Mr. Ryan. My late husband and I took Bernie and Mona to a cabin there for several summers. I don't believe it's been occupied for many years, probably fallen to rack and ruin, but I can give you directions."

Ryan nodded. "That would be very helpful, Ma'am."

* * *

Esposito was driving Alexis' car. Getting a GPS location on Jacob Meyers had been a bust; his car had no GPS. The car Bernie was assumed to have been driving did, but it didn't function when the car was turned off, which it appeared to have been for some time. The GPS in the phones of both men was turned off as well. Esposito was following the directions Ryan had obtained from Rifka Shapiro. It was hard to spot the cabin through the trees, but when it came in sight, he parked at the side of the road and approached on foot. Jacob Meyers' car was not there, but one matching the description of Bernie Shapiro's vehicle was. The only window in the wooden structure was covered. Javier placed a microphone against a shabby board at the side of the cabin and concentrated on the sounds coming through his ear buds. He heard nothing except for the sounds of breathing and an occasional soft moan. With his weapon at ready, he pushed through the door.

Bernie Shapiro looked up at the man with hard eyes and a gun in his hand. He raised arms. "He can't hurt you. Neither can I. There's no need for a gun."

Esposito lowered his Glock and pulled out his P.I. identification. "Dr. Shapiro, My name is Javier Esposito. I work for Richard Castle Investigations. Your wife is worried about you. She hired us to find you."

Shapiro exhaled slowly and lowered his arms. "Then you can tell Yetta I'm fine and will be home as soon as I can. I have a patient to care for."

"Dr., that's not going to do it," Esposito informed him. "The police had the blood by your pool tested. We know that this is your son. Your wife knows about him now too. You've got some explaining to do to her. And the police are treating this as a missing persons case. They're going to want to know where you are and why. Don't make this any worse than it is." Esposito pointed to the figure on the bed. "I can help you get him to a hospital now."

Ben groaned.

Shapiro sagged. "I suppose that would be best."

* * *

Alexis, Kate, and Rick gathered around Esposito in the living room of the beach house, to receive his final report on Bernie Shapiro and son. "So the kid was casing a house for a robbery and someone came out and shot him?" Castle asked. "Seems like a call to the local constabulary would have been enough. Did the boy have any details about why someone would be that pissed off? Ooh, did he see the guy pursuing a tempestuous but covert affair?"

"No, from what he said, the people in the house were watching a news report about the launching of some offshore wind farm. There's supposed to be some kind of big ceremony with a bunch of big shots. He claimed they weren't speaking English. He though he heard someone say 'bomb it,' but it sounded like 'bombit.'"

"'Bombit' is the Russian word for bomb!" Kate exclaimed.

Castle sprang from his seat. "Shapiro's son stumbled into a Russian plan to bomb the wind farm ceremony. Hey, I know about that event. Bob Weldon told me. He's going to be there. Senator Schumberg is supposed to be there too. He's behind the bill with all the sanctions against the Russians for their cyber attacks. The Russians would love to take him out. We have to stop this!"

"Can you get in touch with your, uh, Hunt?" Kate stuttered, remembering that Esposito was in the room.

"Not fast enough," Castle replied. "But I may be able to get a hold of Agent Danberg or maybe Agent Gray."

"And we need to call the state cops and the FBI," Kate added.

"You call them, I'll take care of the CIA," Castle suggested. "Espo, if you have any federal contacts, you should call them too."

* * *

Hunt and his squad were following a bomb laden van bearing the logo of the engineering firm responsible for the monster turbines of the wind farm, when they received a heads up of the van's probable destination. When the van stopped at the entrance of the causeway to the artificial island built to service the machines, it was surrounded from behind by Hunt's people and from the front by an armored squad with automatic rifles. One of the men in the van pressed a detonator. Nothing happened. He and his compatriots were pulled out by the armored officers. They could see a short, mild looking man, smilingly holding up the jammer that had interfered with their signal to their bombs. "Mission's over," the unimposing man informed them smugly.

The leader muttered, " _Nu vse tebe pizda_." and spat on the ground.

* * *

Kate, Rick, and Alexis watched the news report of the ceremony at the wind farm. "No mention of any Russian plots to blow the place up," Castle noted.

"Did you really expect there to be?" Kate asked. "The public won't know about this, anymore than they knew about the dirty bomb that almost went off in New York. They'll be able to get through their days without looking over their shoulders for bogeymen."

"Sometimes ignorance must be bliss," Castle commented.

"What's going to happen to Bernie Shapiro?" Alexis asked.

"Chief Brady said there won't be any charges against him for sheltering Ben, because Ben was never charged with a crime. Bernie's also covered by a Good Samaritan law," Castle explained. "And the bullet wound was reported - eventually."

"His treatment of Ben could still be questioned, but if a patient refuses to go to a hospital, he can't be forced without a court order," Kate continued. "And since no one died and no one is claiming injury, he'll probably get to keep his license."

"That's good," Alexis decided. "I know if Bernard was hurt or needed help, I'd do anything for him."

Wails issued through a monitor. Castle grinned. "Speaking of my grandson." As Alexis rose to go to her toddler, Lily's voice could be heard crooning gently and starting to sing her "Bernard Song." The wails tapered off. "Music hath charms..." Castle remarked.

"Well music isn't going to change him," Alexis declared. "Or feed him."

"We need to feed all of us," Castle pointed out. "We have a Labor Day feast of hot dogs, hamburgers, and a raft of other American favorites guarantied to lower the age of mortality. And I've added a new dessert, three layers of flavor explosions. It's called a Russian Bombe."

Kate groaned.

"Too soon?" Castle asked.

Kate just rolled her eyes.


	16. Chapter 16

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 16

Kate tossed restlessly beside Castle. He propped himself up on his elbow and looked down at her as her eyes opened. "This is the day, isn't it? Are you nervous about the results of New York Law exam? You passed your Uniform Bar Exam with flying colors."

"I know, Castle. But New York law really means a lot right now with trying to get local environmental legislation passed. And I really shouldn't go ahead with what I've been thinking about, if I don't have it down."

"The State Senate?"

"Uh huh. I'm the only one in our district that would have any party backing. But I don't want to go for it if I don't feel qualified. I need this, Babe."

"I think," Castle said, brushing the bed mussed hair from her face, "what you need is some distraction."

Kate smiled in spite of herself. "And what kind of distraction did you have in mind?"

"Well you can take your choice. I could put on the news, or we could have a rousing game of Terra Quest Four, or maybe something a bit less electronic."

Kate toyed with the drawstring on his pajamas. "I could go for something that requires a very personal electrical connection."

Castle slipped a hand under the neckline of her sleep shirt. "I could go for that too," he murmured, "very personal and very electric." He eased the shirt over her head, revealing her bare breasts to his mouth.

A jolt shot through Kate at the touch of his tongue. She rubbed against the firmness of his thigh seeking relief from the sudden need that flooded through her. Castle's hands moved to cup her from behind, pulling her tightly against his own growing arousal. She ground restlessly against the fabric barriers between them.

"Kate, touch me," he whispered.

She yanked his pajamas down, even as he slipped her silken covering away. His mouth still on her breasts, their fingers found the epicenters of their most intense desperation. Even as she stroked him, she writhed under his touch. She could feel the gaping desire within her growing deeper and wider, screaming for the firm heat that was beneath her hands, to fill it. She guided him to the emptiness, moist and ready. Their joining was smooth and practiced, but edged with urgency. Castle pulled her on top of him, his mouth finding hers and his hands loving her breasts as she rode. A sheen of sweat covered them both, dampening hair and slickening skin. Kate was almost there. She could feel it, taste it, taunting her, just beyond her reach. Her tongue curled around his as she bucked wildly, intimate muscles tightening around him. His body stiffened. She could feel him jerk and gasp for air. Unwilling to finish alone, he reached for her, finding the sensitive bud that would bring her to fulfillment with him. She pressed against his fingers while her tongue strove ever more deeply into his mouth. The climactic waves came as a sudden rush of tide, air forcing itself from her mouth, in relief. "Thanks, I needed that."

"Always glad to lend a helping hand," Castle quipped. Sounds of plastic cars against plastic tracks crunched through the monitor. "Sounds like the twins are running some early morning NASCAR. We should probably get on track too."

"Right," Kate agreed, "I need to go through the latest iteration of the Aid to Victims of Toxic Exposure bill."

"And I have a chapter to finish, but I can get the kids started on breakfast first," Castle offered, "if you want to douse your steaming body with water and foam."

"That sounds more like putting out a fire than taking a shower, but thanks Babe. That new hypoallergenic cereal you ordered for the twins, the one that's supposed to look like animal crackers, came yesterday. You might want to try it out."

"I'll taste it first," Castle mused. "Compared to the last one we tried, straw would be an epicurean delight. But we'll see if we've struck nutritional gold this time." Music floated in from the living room. "Oh, Lily's at her piano already. It may at least take strawberries to pry her away. I might even have to go to chocolate chip waffles."

Kate grabbed her robe. "Sounds like you've got your work cut out for you. See you when I'm finished dousing."

Castle grinned. "you just made a shower sound dirty, but we don't have time for a reprise. Meet you in the kitchen."

The animal cracker cereal tasted nothing like animal crackers, but did taste something like butterscotch. Both Jake and Reese found it acceptable, which was Castle's second victory for the day. Lily was a harder nut to crack, determined to finish her latest theme before than van arrived to take her to Latu's Trails. Castle was only able to get her to agree to a couple of strips of turkey bacon, which had been one of Alexis' favorite bribes. He made a note to call the school and make sure she got a snack.

Kate wandered into the kitchen, skin glowing and hair lustrous. She tapped Castle on the shoulder. "Tag."

He kissed her hand, still warm from the deluge of heat, before retreating to grab his own shower. He was just toweling off when his cell broadcast the toccata that alerted him to a call from his mother. "Richard, my school was broken into last night!" she moaned.

He dropped his towel, immediately relieved that Martha wasn't FaceTiming. "Mother, are you all right? Is everyone all right?"

"Fine Richard, just fine. No one was here. But all of our costumes are gone, years worth. I just don't know how we'll put on our next performance."

Even without FaceTime, Castle could visualize the frantic fluttering of Martha's hands. "Did you call the cops?"

"Well of course I did, darling. An officer Harris took a report, but I don't think I'm going to be at the top of their priority list, and my students have a performance in two weeks. I need RCI. I need you."

"Mother, you really should call Alexis," Castle urged. "She's running the operation now."

"I did," Martha replied. "But she was having a bad morning with Bernard. I could hear him screaming while she tried to talk. She said Pooky Boo was lost somewhere. She and Sergei were going crazy looking for it, but he had to leave, and until she finds it, she can't manage anything else. Javier and Kevin were in the field and I don't really know Roselyn well enough to call her."

Castle sighed. "Alright mother, I'll see what I can do. Did the police dust for prints?"

"They checked around the door but they didn't find any, so they assumed the thieves were wearing gloves."

"Figures. RCI will do the best we can for you, Mother. I'll call you as soon as we have anything." Castle pulled on his clothes. Lily had been dispatched to school and Kate had settled the cereal stuffed boys back to continue their races. She was pouring herself a cup of coffee, to brace herself before tackling her paperwork. Castle filled a double sized mug for himself."

"Something wrong Babe?" Kate asked.

Castle hated to pile anything more on his wife. She was on edge enough about her test results. "Just a minor emergency at Mother's school. The diva was extra dramatic this morning. Some things have gone missing. I think I can put Roselyn on it. Everything should be fine."

Kate was already on the way to her office. "Okay, let me know what happens. I still have some connections in robbery. I can always call Tom Demming. He's moved up to lieutenant now."

"Sure," Castle muttered under his breath. "Over my dead body."


	17. Chapter 17

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 17

"Did the email about the exam come yet?" Castle asked.

"It just popped up on my phone, but I'm afraid to open it," Kate admitted.

Castle cupped her cheek in his palm. "Do you want me to open for you?"

"No, I can do it," Kate declared resolutely. She scanned the tiny screen.

Castle could tell by the light in her eyes what the answer was. Framing her face in his palms, he leaned in for a congratulatory kiss. Then he headed to the kitchen to retrieve a bottle that had been chilling in the refrigerator. "Castle, what would you have done with that if I had failed?" Kate asked, as Rick popped the cork on a bottle of Dom Perignon.

"Kept it in the refrigerator for a few more days until the twins are old enough to go to Latu's Trails, and poured some scotch instead." Castle grinned. "But now I get to buy another bottle." He filled two crystal flutes. "To the next chapter in Kate Beckett saves the world." They clinked glasses and had just taken a sip when a crash sounded from the twins' room. "Sounds like the epic battle between The Architect and Demolition Boy is on again. I'll go check on them." The Martha Rodgers toccata sounded again from Castle's phone.

"I'll check on the boys," Kate offered. "You check in with your mother."

"Richard, Roselyn just left. She said she thought it was an inside job, something about the lock on the back door. She asked me for the files on my students and teachers. Do you think she could be right, that it is someone from our theatrical family?" Martha queried. "It hardly seems a deed worthy of our noble craft."

"Mother, acting is a noble craft, but that doesn't mean everyone who pursues it is noble," Castle offered. "Consider John Wilkes Booth."

"Hardly a recent example, Richard," Martha retorted, "but your point is taken. How long do you think it will be before RCI has something?"

"Mother, if Roselyn just left, you'll have to wait at least until she has time to go through the files and run some background checks. Try to be patient," Castle counseled.

"It is very difficult to be patient when my art and that of all my students is on the line," Martha proclaimed.

"I'm sure Roselyn will work as fast as she can," Castle soothed. "But if it will make you feel better, I will monitor the search and add my unique perspective."

"Ah well, alright. Thank you darling. I appreciate it."

Castle joined Kate in distracting Reese and Jake with a giant floor puzzle. "That was strange, I left my mother the perfect opening and she didn't even try to stick a pin in my ego. She's really upset. I think I'll give Roselyn a call and see if her take on the case matches what mother told me."

"Did you finish writing your chapter yet?" Kate asked.

"No," Castle admitted.

"Then don't get too involved," Kate advised. "Alexis must be past the Pooky Boo crisis by now. If Roselyn needs help, I'm sure Alexis will see that she gets it."

"You're right. But I promised mother I'd monitor the case. So I'll just make a quick call."

Roselyn Karpowski expanded on what Martha had told Castle. There were no signs that the lock had been picked and the striking plate was sticky. She had taken a sample of the remnants of what appeared to be adhesive for analysis, but she was fairly sure that the door had been taped open, Watergate style. She also added that nothing at the school had been tossed. The thieves seemed to know exactly where they were going and what they wanted to take. She would be checking the students and staff for past criminal activity, but she hadn't even arrived at the office yet, and it would take some time.

Castle returned to writing his chapter, but after finishing a scene, opened a tab for a local news website. A reporter was doing a stand-up in front of a large pawn shop. She was reporting on a brazen daylight robbery in which costumed thieves had taken all the cash on site. After her introduction, she showed security video of the robbery. Castle stared at the screen and made several captures. He would have to check with his mother, but he was sure that he had seen the costumes before - in a portrayal of the masquerade ball from Romeo and Juliet, at the Martha Rodgers School of acting.

* * *

Castle gritted his teeth as Kate called Tom Demming to report the connection between the two robberies. The conversation was not the most relaxed one Castle had ever heard. Demming had obviously not entirely forgotten that Kate had dumped him and eventually married a man who'd sworn he had no romantic involvement with her. But the cop was professional nonetheless and promised to coordinate the efforts of the N.Y.P.D. with those of Richard Castle Investigations.

"You know," Castle mused after the awkward call had been terminated, "the robbery today was well planned and seamlessly executed. I wonder if this crew has operated somewhere before, perhaps in another state. As dramatic as their MO is, it would have generated a stream of news stories, not to mention social media postings. I'm going to see what I can find."

"Did you finish your chapter?" Kate queried again.

Castle shuffled his feet and gazed at the ceiling. "Almost, but this may give me some inspiration - hidden faces, sub rosa feelings."

"Oh Castle, that's good!" Kate laughed. "I think we'll have to add that to the list of your procrastination excuses. What is that, ten thousand and four?"

"Ten thousand and six, Castle corrected, sticking out his lower lip, "but it's been months since I added one and even you admitted, this one is good. My chapter isn't due for two days. I'll get it done. It isn't like it was with Black Pawn. I'm not rebelling against Gina being on my back all the time. I haven't let Curtis and Strom down yet. I'm not going to start now. But solving this one is for Mother."

Kate laid a hand on his arm. "Of course it is Babe. And I know you won't be able to concentrate on your writing until you get some answers anyway. You want more coffee?"

Castle nodded enthusiastically. "Please, but Kate, I haven't forgotten what a big day this is for you. Champagne is a start, but we need to have a proper celebration. I'm going to see that we do, as soon as we have a handle on this case."

Kate planted a quick kiss on his lips."Sure Babe, and knowing you, I'm sure whatever you plan will be spectacular."

Castle settled in front of his laptop and brought up Lexis Nexis to search for articles on costumed robbery crews. The list was extensive, including several on the crew that had been blown up in a bank where he and Martha had been taken hostage. Obviously, they were out of the running. Castle was sure he was looking for a theatrical connection of some sort, otherwise the thieves could have just raided a costume shop. "I'm going to get you," he muttered at the screen. "I'll be damned if Demming is going to be the one to get credit for solving this case."


	18. Chapter 18

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 18

Castle rubbed his eyes, but the burn remained. He'd alternated his research into costumed criminals with working on his chapter, whenever a fresh idea had struck him. The chapter was finally finished, although he suspected that when he looked at it in the morning, there would be some serious editing to be done. His research was not much further along. Thieves were very fond of masks, usually of the cheap Halloween variety. They tended toward unpopular presidents, with Nixon holding the record, until Trump was elected. The thieves he was searching for were different. They would be completely constructed characters, most likely all from the same play. He had yet to find a credible match. He glanced down at his fourth mug of coffee, now cold and bitter, then back at his computer. The readout in the corner of the screen indicated it was one A.M.. He'd taken the time for supper with Kate and Lily and the boys, as well as for presenting slightly truncated bedtime stories, but he had still been at his desk longer than either his fuzzy eyes or his fuzzy brain could tolerate.

He groaned as he pushed back his chair and stood up. Bed would feel good, even if Kate was not yet in it, but he hoped she'd already be immersed in dreamland. After vaulting the final hurdle to her plans, he imagined it might be the first really good night's rest she'd get in a while. For many previous nights, her sleep had been haunted by a constant review of questions of law. This could possibly be one of her few untroubled slumbers, if she began her campaign soon. Public Advocate had been bad enough, but she had been enough of a public figure as both a cop and the inspiration for Nikki Heat, to have a high level of name recognition. Her spectacular arrest record had also attracted a lot of free publicity. But things had changed. The good works of FTC were much more back page material, if reported at all. His level of fame, though not his income, had fallen as well. His readers were loyal, but his current literary efforts lent themselves much less to sensationalism, even as they garnered more critical acclaim. Kate would have to rebuild a public persona. He would support her as much as he could, but for her, the situation would be uncomfortable at best. Whatever happened, he was sure the indefatigable Kate Beckett determination would get her through.

Castle slipped into bed as quietly as the stiffness from hours in front of his computer would allow. A smile curved Kate's lips. He smiled in response, assuming that whatever dreams danced in her head were sweet. Kate was snuggled into her pillow, but still nestled into the curve of his body when he curled around her. Her warmth radiated through her pajamas, penetrating the thin cotton of his t-shirt. He could feel his muscles relax instantly. When he closed his eyes, sleep came quickly.

 _The First Bank of Broadway looked imposing, with marble pillars and gleaming glass doors. Castle couldn't imagine why a bank would have been built on a stage, but this one was. Resplendent in a faux leopard coat and a huge hat, Martha stood in front of the massive building, giving an introduction to the play. She announced that many actors would take the individual roles and the audience would never know who was behind the masks. The whole troupe would share in the applause and all its members would share in the audience's generous donations as well. To make sure, she would be collecting all the wallets, purses, and cell phones from the assemblage. Clowns came down the aisles with huge baskets to hold the booty. After the audience had filled them, the sky darkened, with the light on the stage provided by a brilliant full moon. The play began. The actors were costumed as characters from "A Midsummer's Night's Dream." Puck bounced ahead of the other magical figures, bidding the doors of the bank to open for fairy king and queen, Oberon and Titania. Their attendants followed, bearing AR-15 rifles, shining with fairy dust. The clowns brought their baskets on stage to be filled to overflowing with shimmering cash from a vault, which sprang open at a magic incantation from Oberon. Suddenly a half dressed Alan Cummings appeared on stage giving an eerie rendition of "Money Makes the World Go Around." Martha led the players in an enthusiastic round of applause. A ringmaster appeared from the wings and blew a whistle. The members of the theatrical company formed a huge line at the edge of the stage, and bowed over an audience who immediately burst into tears._

The last streaks of an Autumn's late sunrise had reached the bedroom windows. As the sobbing echoed through his brain, Castle sat up, jolted to consciousness. "Kate, they were all in on it!"

Kate shifted drowsily and yawned. "Who were all in on it, Castle? Have the mice been running around in your head again?"

"More like thespians and clowns," Castle replied. "But Kate, the theft ring has got to be a big outfit, or at least planning to be a big outfit. Why else would they have taken so many costumes? The ones used in the last robbery were only from one play. This city is about to be hit by a barrage of theatrical thefts."

"Castle, assuming you're correct, how does that help you get your mother's costumes back? If they are all used in the commission of robberies and the cops do catch the perps, they'd be held as evidence for trial. As long as that takes these days, Martha might never get them back. To be real, even if the rest of the costumes were found today, before anymore robberies were committed, she'd wouldn't get them back in time. They'd sit in evidence until the theft from her school was adjudicated. She might have a chance, if she doesn't press charges, but the current D.A. is a hard ass. I can't see her letting it go. Regardless of the outcome of the case, Martha needs a plan B, Babe. I wouldn't be surprised if my Dad's already told her that. But I have an idea."

"What?" Castle asked.

"You know the latest raft of sweat shops the city has closed down? As good as it may be to enforce the labor laws, it did put a lot of women skilled with sewing machines out of work. Some of them are clients at FTC. Jenny's been trying to find legitimate jobs for them in the garment industry, but it has been hard going."

Castle grinned. "So are you proposing using FTC to put together an emergency sewing circle? That sounds more like one of my crazy ideas."

"Maybe you've rubbed off on me."

"Well we have spent a lot of time rubbing together, as the evidence of three little Castles loudly proclaims."

"Martha would still need a designer," Kate mused.

"She should be able to get the one who worked on her last play, Luke something," Castle asserted. "he did a pretty good job, although the cuts of the leading man's jackets could have been more flattering. Still, last I heard, he hadn't been picked up for another play yet. If you can organize your needle force, I'll suggest that mother give him a call."


	19. Chapter 19

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 19

Castle barged excitedly into Kate's home office. "We scored! Not only did mother get Luke to work on the designs of her costumes, but he used his his association with a design school to get facilities for your ladies. They have rooms that were used for a reality show, you know, the one with the hot models and the desperate designers. The show is out of production and the facilities were just lying there, so the school is willing to donate their use to FTC for a write off and a mention in the programs of the plays mother's students put on."

"And FTC will be partnering with Martha, paying part of the wages of the women, as part of the career development program for displaced workers," Kate added. "With any luck, the costumes for Martha's next production will be cranked out in time, then we can keep the women working on the rest. Luke and Martha are both going to make inquiries in the theater community about future work for the women - oh, there are a couple of guys too."

"No reason why women should be the only ones handy with a sewing machine," Castle commented. "When the machines get going, they do sound a bit like a finely tuned race car, at least the ones in my latest super racer game."

Kate rolled her eyes. "You would notice that, Castle."

"Well now that that Mother's dilemma is settled for now, we can work on our upcoming celebrations. We haven't done more than toast your victory on the New York Law Exam, and Halloween and the twins' birthdays are coming up less than a week apart. And speaking of Halloween, I still want to figure out who those costumed rip off artists are. I hate to leave a puzzle unsolved. But first things first. A night at Le Cirque? Q3? Rocco's new place? Or something more intimate?"

Kate stroked a finger along the line of his jaw. "Fine dining sounds good. Intimate sounds better. What did you have in mind, Castle?"

"I hadn't made it that far," he admitted, "but I promise you it will be the best celebration for passing the NLE, ever."

Castle's first move was to check with Tatiana and Svetlana to see when he could get a sitter for Lily and the boys. Neither one of them had an overnight free, but Sarah and Timothy Kasparov volunteered for the duty. The next step was finding a suitable venue. While Kate enjoyed the five star hotels he'd taken her to, she'd never been as fond of that kind of luxury as he had. And he'd lost a great deal of his taste for it himself. He wanted someplace cozy, perhaps in the middle of Fall color, where he and Kate could just enjoy some time together. Connecticut was not too long a drive and the blaze of the foliage there was approaching its peak. The right B&B in the midst of it, could be perfect. He started to peruse the online listings and the Yelp reviews.

* * *

The rain began just as Castle pulled onto route ninety-five. It was not the most auspicious of starts to his time away with Kate, but cool jazz was piping through the sound system of the car and the sluicing of the water down the glass of the windows complemented the wail of the sax. Kate leaned back and closed her eyes as he drove. The trip, normally about ninety minutes, was slowed by the weather, but not to the point of annoyance. After two hours Castle pulled up in front of their destination.

The Pewter Plate had been built in the eighteen hundreds. The native stone gave it a feeling of solidity and the heavy wooden doors held the patina of age. Even dampened by the rain, the surrounding woods still glowed orange and red. Castle retrieved their bags from the trunk and ushered Kate inside. An old fashioned registration book was laid across the front desk and a pen fashioned to look like a quill, lay beside it. A bald pated clerk peered over his half glasses at the arriving couple. "Ah, Richard Castle and Katherine Beckett, so good to have you as our guests. Your room is ready, but perhaps you would care to shed some moisture by the cooking hearth in the Tavern Room, before settling in. I can have your bags taken up to your room for you."

Rick looked questioningly at Kate, who nodded. "That would be excellent Mr...," he responded.

"Mather," the clerk filled in, "but most of the folks around here just call me Ink. We already have your credit card information." He pointed to the old fashioned book. "If you'll just ink your John Hancocks in there, I'll get you two in front of the fire."

* * *

Castle rubbed his hands together in front of the warming flames. "That was a little spooky."

"What, Castle?" Kate asked, stretching out her own palms.

"Ink Mather. It's probably short for Increase Mather, father of Cotton Mather, of Salem witch trial fame. And he couldn't wait to get us in front of a fire."

"Castle, I can see that you're revving up for Halloween, but the witch trials were in Massachusetts, not Connecticut. And witches were usually hanged not burned. His nickname probably has more to do with his job than anything else."

"You're probably right," Castle conceded, "but this place does give me some ideas. Maybe we could have a Halloween/Thanksgiving crossover with evil Pilgrims. Imagine a Pilgrim hat on a leering jack o'lantern; better yet, a Pilgrim scarecrow with a jack o'lantern head. We could put it in the window of the turret."

And then you'd get to eat all the candy yourself because all the trick or treaters would be scared away. I think that would be too much of a sugar rush even for you."

"I think Lily would get her licks in, and allergies not withstanding, the boys would try. But you have a point," Castle admitted. "The concept definitely needs work. As far as sugar rushes go, didn't Ink say there was some hot mulled cider in here somewhere? I think we could both use that." Castle spied it on the sideboard and filled two heavy metal mugs with the spicy brew.

"We could take those upstairs," Kate suggested.

"Yes, yes we could," Castle agreed."And there's supposed to be a fireplace up there too, although somewhat smaller in scale. The bed, however, was advertised as huge."

"Sounds perfect, Babe."

Castle fitted a heavy brass key into what looked to be an ancient lock. The hinges creaked slightly, but the door opened smoothly. Their bags had been placed on a wooden chest at the foot of a massive dark wood bed covered by a handmade quilt. Another quilt was folded across the first one. An old fashioned love seat had been placed in front of a fireplace, where a fire had been laid. Castle grabbed one of the over-sized matches from an ornate box on the mantle, and struck it against the stone of the hearth. The resinous tinder that had been provided, lit easily. In a few moments the logs caught and the flames began to dance merrily. A faint scent of evergreen drifted into the room. They cuddled together on the love seat, with a quilt pulled over them and warm mugs cupped in their hands. Enveloped in cozy comfort, law exams, book deadlines, and costumed criminals seemed a million miles away.

A/N Here's a little more shameless self-promotion. I have a new e-book novella out. There are no vampires. It is sci fi, telling a story of what happens when individuals with Asperger's Syndrome occupy increasingly higher rungs in a technological society - and there is a backlash. It is called Galapagos Finches and is available on Smashwords dot com. It's $0.99.


	20. Chapter 20

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 20

Kate lifted her head sleepily from Castle's shoulder. "Babe, in this wonderful celebration you planned, did you give any thought to dinner?"

Castle snorted and blew air through vibrating lips. "Come on! You forget who you're talking to! There is a fantastic place down the road and we already have reservations. It's called Merry Times."

Kate didn't consider the historical era portrayed at Merry Times as being particularly merry, but the atmosphere was warm and inviting. Like The Pewter Plate, the restaurant featured a huge wood burning fireplace, where a large pot of soup simmered. Diners were seated on wooden benches at long wooden tables, in the manner of a colonial inn. The menu featured food of the times, with venison and roast wild fowl being listed as specialties. Tea, grainy chocolate, beer, and hard cider were offered as beverages. Servers in colonial garb waited on tables, bringing food which was eaten on wooden trenchers. The atmosphere was congenial, with several conversations taking place across the table. When driving, Castle abstained from alcohol, but with the liberal consumption of beer and hard cider by other patrons, voices at the table had grown continually louder and more intrusive. After savoring the sweetness of hot apple pie topped with heavy cream for dessert, the Castles decided to depart to more intimate surroundings. On his way out, Castle picked up a flier for a costumed performance in the town square the next day.

* * *

"Did you notice what the pattern of the quilts in our room is?" Castle asked, on the short drive back to the Pewter Plate.

"Castle, despite my interest in creating jobs for the clients at FTC, you know I've never been much into needlework," Kate responded. "What about the pattern on the quilts?"

"It's a wedding ring pattern," Castle explained. "Something for married couples to snuggle beneath for a long winter's nap - even if it is still Fall."

Kate reached over to lay a hand possessively on his thigh. "I'm a big fan of naps."

Castle reached down briefly, to touch the fingers that were already sending suggestions to his lower regions. "So am I."

* * *

Kate stirred as the morning sun forced its way through the tiny gap between the heavy draperies. Without opening his eyes, Castle drew her against him. "Good morning. I think the quilts worked their traditional spell."

"I think they may have at that." Kate agreed, pressing her body against the warmth of his bare skin, beneath the skillfully crafted bed coverings. Her stomach rumbled.

Castle's eyes crinkled as the corners as his lids reluctantly lifted. "Obviously we worked off last night's feast. We could avail ourselves of the traditional colonial breakfast that's served here. According to the reviews, the griddle cakes are excellent and the maple syrup is brought in from Vermont. Or there are several places in the center of town that are supposed to be quite lovely. According to the flier, there will be a performance there as well. Celebrant's choice, of course."

"Castle, as delicious as what we ate last night was, I think I've had enough colonial cookery. Let's go into town."

"Into town it will be," Castle confirmed.

* * *

Kate reached gratefully for the cup of hot coffee the waitress poured before bringing her mushroom omelet.

"Suffering caffeine withdrawal?" Castle inquired.

Kate nodded. "Ever since the twins were weaned, I've been living on the stuff."

Castle pressed her free hand between both of his. "You know, Kate. Once you declare your candidacy, it's not going to get any easier, at least as far as your work is concerned. There are more nut cases popping up every day, and who knows what they'll come at you with. You're still working on straightening out the fallout from the mess that was made seven years ago. You know I'm behind you. The whole family is behind you. But are you absolutely sure of the spot from which you wish to aim your lance at a windmill?"

"I am, Castle," Kate assured him. "Right now the most pressing fights can be won in the local legislature, so that's where I need to be."

Castle pressed a kiss into her palm. "Then we'll get you there." He gazed out the window at a group of people assembling a makeshift stage. "It looks like they're setting up for a performance. Allowing for three cups of coffee, this should time out about right."

From a seat beside Rick on the portable bleachers overlooking the stage, Kate regarded the program she'd been handed by an outdoor usher. "The Nutmeg Diaries?"

"Kate, fun fact. Connecticut is the Nutmeg State," Castle informed her. "And before all the pot legalization laws were passed, it was one of the things stoners could get legally. Some of them tried their best to make the most of it."

"Castle, I'm not even going to ask how you know that."

"I think you already have an idea. Remember how ticked off you were when you found out about Meredith putting nutmeg in my coffee?"

Kate groaned. "Something I'd rather forget."

"That makes two of us," Castle continued, "but when she was doing regional theater, she hung out with a group that was into finding creative ways to get high. They pulled some of what they did from the sixties and seventies. They smoked banana peels, the whole bit. Nutmeg was just one of the things they explored. Meredith picked up on it."

"Meredith hung out with experimental stoners. That explains a lot."

One side of Castle's mouth quirked slightly. "Perhaps it does. It was just as well she didn't have much to do with raising Alexis. I was a bad enough influence."

Kate punched him in the arm."You raised a great kid, Castle. And we're raising three more. Hey look, they're starting."

Several players took the stage, wearing torn jeans, t-shirts with peace signs, beads, and head bands encircling waist length wigs. They each gave soliloquies about how screwed up world was and how the only thing worthwhile was to find love, peace, and enlightenment. The spicy aroma of nutmeg wafted from the stage, but Castle ignored it, staring at the costumes. "Kate, I know those outfits. My mother's students used them for a production of 'Hair.'"

"Castle are you sure? You could put those outfits together at a thrift store or in someone's attic."

"I am," Castle insisted. "See that headband with the Hebrew letters on it? They mean kosher for Passover. That was a joke my mother took from the headband Mel Brooks wore when he played an Indian in Blazing Saddles. One of her boyfriends spotted it in the movie and thought it was hilarious. After three glasses of champagne, she told me the story at the opening night party."

"Is the guy wearing it one of her students?" Kate queried. "People have been known to commute farther than this to attend classes in New York."

"I don't know," Castle admitted. "Roselyn took all of mother's files. But his name and his picture are on the program. I should be able to find out quickly enough."

* * *

Martha sighed in annoyance as her conference with Luke was interrupted. What the hell was Richard doing texting her, when he was supposed to be on a romantic getaway with Katherine? She almost didn't look at the photo, but when she did, she texted back immediately. The name was wrong, but the face was definitely that of one of her students.


	21. Chapter 21

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 21

"Kate, what do we do?" Castle whispered, as the players continued their praise of expanded consciousness.

"We could ask Demming to either send some of his guys, or reach out to the Connecticut State Police to pick up Mr. Headband."

"But if he or other members of this ensemble get picked up either way, that could tip off the rest of the gang," Castle protested. "We don't know who else is involved, just that there are a lot of them."

"Then what are you suggesting, Castle?"

Grooves flanked the bridge of Castle's nose. "I don't know... Wait, I have an idea! There's contact information for the troupe on the program. Let's offer them a job and tell them to bring all of their theatrical friends."

* * *

Halloween at the Castle castle was the most spectacular in Castle history. Inside, a party was going on for extended family, with various adults taking turns at supervision of the younger contingent. An adaptation of theater in the park had become theater on the lawn, where a huge group of costumed players performed scenes from spooky plays and musicals, including _Dracula, The Little Shop of Horrors,_ and _The Legend of Sleepy Hollow._ Castle had a videographer recording it all, ostensibly for the enjoyment of the family, but in fact for Martha to view from inside the house to look for recognizable faces and costumes. From Castle's office, she regarded the feed from the camera on a tablet. "Richard, several of those players are my students and almost all of the costumes were stolen from my school."

Kate laid a hand on Castle's arm. "It's time to call in the cops now, Babe."

"Maybe Demming won't be on duty," Castle hoped.

Castle got his wish. Kate made contact with a Sergeant McNeary who was quite familiar with the case, having been an active participant in the investigation of three more costumed robberies. He urged Kate and Rick to let the performances continue and give nothing away, while he sent units with neither lights flashing nor sirens screaming a warning. It was half an hour before the blue and whites moved in. The actors were rounded up without a shot, with many of the onlookers assuming it was just part of a Castle extravaganza.

* * *

After a night in a holding cell, Brian Mosely, formerly of the kosher headband, sat anxiously next to a very young Legal Aid attorney, Tony Colson. Sergeant McNeary sat opposite him at a table in an interrogation room in the Twenty-third Precinct. As a representative of RCI, Castle had been grudgingly permitted to observe through the one way mirror. "Mr Mosely," McNeary began, there is general agreement among your band of bandits the you are the leader. In fact, most of them couldn't wait to claim you were in charge of planning everything."

"Don't say anything," Colson cautioned Mosely.

"Mr. Colson, he doesn't have to say a word," McNeary advised. "Martha Rodgers has identified the costumes Mr. Mosely and his troupe were wearing, as stolen from her school. There is ample photographic evidence to support her claim. They are worth thousands of dollars. That already puts your client on the hook for grand theft. We also have security video of the stolen costumes being used in multiple robberies. That amounts to enough counts to put him away until the only roles he'll be able to play will be very old and very cranky men. However, if he is willing to confess to everything he's done, he'll be saving the D.A. a lot of trouble. That will be worth something toward a deal. The more forthcoming your client is, the better deal he'll get. I would urge you to counsel him to consider coming clean now."

Mosely looked at Colson, who drew himself up in his chair. "I'm going to have a conversation with the A.D.A. first," Colson insisted. "You have no authority to make a deal. My client says nothing until I have something in writing."

McNeary shrugged. "Fine. The longer he waits, the more we get from his partners in this little crime spree, the less your client will have have to bargain with. Your client can cool his heels in a cell until you and the A.D.A. come to an understanding. I'm sure Bubba can keep him company. He's a very friendly guy; just loves young men."

Mosely threw his hands in front of his face, as if to to shield himself. "Wait a minute. Is Bubba the guy in the cell next to the one I was in?"

McNeary nodded and grinned. "All six foot six and two hundred and fifty pounds of him. I'm sure the two of you will have a great time."

"You're threatening my client," Colson objected. "Any confession you get from him under these conditions would be coerced. I could get it excluded. And if any harm comes to him while he's in your custody, I'll have you up on charges."

"That kind of thing used to work a lot better for Ryan and Esposito," Castle muttered to himself, as he observed. "Smart kid. I wonder if Kate knows him."

"Mr Colson. We will return your client to his cell. There is tough metal mesh between him and his neighbor. He will be perfectly safe," McNeary assured the young attorney. "But you will want to hurry. Mr. Mosely's associates are spouting like Old Faithful."

* * *

Kate hung up the phone. "So," she reported to Martha and Rick, "Mosely got his deal and confessed. Martha, there were six other actors from your school involved with him, as well as a number of regulars on the unemployment line. Looks like you might have some recruiting to do. From what McNeary told me, Colson's confession was quite dramatic. He gave a stirring speech about how stars get paid millions of dollars, but the average actor barely makes enough to get by, if that.

Martha waved an arm dismissively. "I won't have to do any recruiting. After my recent theatrical triumphs, my school has quite a waiting list. I'll be able to give seven grateful actors the good news that they will be able to seriously develop their craft. But what Mosely said is true. Most actors would make much more money in another profession, or even waiting tables. That is why it is only those with true devotion to their art who can stay the course to achieve greatness. Nothing comes without sacrifice - except in the case of blind luck or woo hoo, couch casting. But neither of those apply to the budding actors I help bring to full bloom."

"I'm sure you're right, Mother," Castle said. He clapped his hands together. "But we have other things to discuss. The twins turn three tomorrow. It's also Alexis' and Sergei's anniversary. We have triple grounds for another family celebration."

"Triple?" Martha repeated. "So you're counting Reese and Jake separately?"

"Mmm, I should," Castle responded. "That makes it quadruple. Two birthdays, an anniversary, and the boys being old enough to attend Latu's Trails with Lily."

Martha nodded knowingly, "Ah. So what is the grand plan you two? Katherine, whatever may be on your mind, I'm sure Richard has something huge on his."

"Actually, I haven't had that much time to put one together," Castle confessed. "I talked to Sergei, and both he and Alexis have been so wrapped up in work, they haven't been able to make firm plans either. And the kids are still on a high from Halloween."

"And I have a meeting with some of the local leaders tomorrow," Kate added. "So we thought, under the circumstances, we might hold a family potluck. We'll just add birthday and anniversary cakes. There's a bakery here in the neighborhood, who can put a rush on them."

Martha's mouth narrowed in distress. "Jim will be tied up most of the day in court and I'm afraid I won't have time to prepare a suitable dish. Would it be all right if we just picked up something from Napolitano's on the way up here?"

Castle suppressed a sigh of relief at the prospect of food from Martha, that would actually be edible. "Mother, that would be outstanding."


	22. Chapter 22

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 22

The day was not going well for Castle. The slow cooker he'd counted on to make his special sweet and sour meatballs refused to heat. With Kate out pursuing contacts for her political run, going to a store for another one meant taking the twins with him. Though Halloween had been warm, winter had suddenly decided to arrive ahead of schedule. There was even a frosting of snow on the lawn. That meant bundling the boys up, complete with hats and mittens, which they found great joy in pulling off and tossing across the room. By the time they were ready to go, it was mid morning. He had gone online to reserve the pot he wanted for pickup, but when they returned, he was left with barely enough time to put his ingredients together for the required long slow simmer.

He fed the boys an early lunch, then took his laptop into the living room, where he could keep an eye on them while they scooted around in the new preschooler powered racing cars they'd begged for as birthday presents. Their obsession with cars had been going on for quite a while and he wondered if it would be a continuing thing. He would prefer to keep them away from the real thing as long as possible. Public transportation in New York was good enough to make a car unnecessary in most cases. Parking alone would eat up a hefty allowance. Alexis didn't drive until she was out of college. Rick himself, hadn't been able to afford a car until he wrote his first best seller. He hoped his sons would develop a new fascination soon, but at the moment they were happy, and he was getting the revisions his editor had requested on his last chapter, done. With any luck, they might even tire themselves out enough for at least a short nap. That would give him some undisturbed time to make some preparations for the potluck/party. Kate had promised to pick up the cakes on her way home. He hoped she didn't get bogged down somehow. He would be in charge of a kid resistant table set-up, and celebratory decorations. Lily, as usual, had volunteered to provide the music and had written a couple of special songs for the event.

* * *

The pols circulated in the section of a hotel ballroom that had been rented for the occasion. There was an open bar. As busy as the day would be, Kate was not imbibing, although she would have appreciated the liquid courage. But she asked the bartender to stick a twist in her water so her abstinence would be less obvious to the indulging attendees. The muscles in her face were beginning to twinge from meaningless smiling, when Herman Locklear, the local party chief, invited her and some of the party functionaries to a meeting in an adjoining room."Kate, I take it from your presence here, that you have made a firm decision to pursue a State Senate seat."

"I have," Kate confirmed.

"Then we have some work to do," Herman continued. "You are in what is normally a safe district, and ordinarily the competition for the seat is minimal. But from the whispers I hear, this year you have an opponent that might easily gain some traction."

"Who?" Kate asked.

"A young lawyer who's rumored to be very sharp, name of Tony Colson. He's working for Legal Aid right now," Locklear replied.

Kate was pretty sure she'd heard the name, and recently. "Colson, the name rings a bell, somehow. Any idea why he wants the seat?"

Another pol at the table spoke up. "From what I hear, he's very ambitious and extremely aggressive. He pushes for good deals for petty little scumbags. The D.A.'s office doesn't like him at all. Word is, he's related to a _consigliere_. He's strutting his stuff and trying to gain influence he can use to move up in the mob."

Kate chewed on her lip. "That's a pretty strong accusation. How reliable is your information?"

"Maybe fifty percent," the pol admitted.

"In any case," Herman put in, "it is our job to knock him out of the box. Now Kate, I understand that under the auspices of Fill the Cracks Foundation - a wonderful organization by the way - you are pushing a piece of legislation to aid victims of toxic exposure."

"That's right," Kate confirmed, "especially children. They come from the poorer areas where there were a lot of toxic releases during the period when the environmental laws were gutted. There are cancer clusters, kids with brain damage from exposure to lead, life threatening cases of asthma, all stemming from industrial dumping that should never have been allowed to happen. We want to give the children and their families the support to allow the victims to live the healthiest and most productive lives they can."

A man on the other side of the table, who was working through what appeared to be one in a series bourbon old fashions, looked at Kate with a smile that verged on a smirk. "Helping sick kids. That practically sells it itself."

"I'm not trying to sell anything," Kate retorted. "The kids and their families need help and I'm trying to get it for them. There are a lot of people in this state who need help. FTC has been reaching out to some of them. As part of the State Senate, I feel I can do a lot more."

Herman nodded in satisfaction. "Just the kind of fire we need Kate. You show that to the voters and you'll have no trouble taking on Colson or whomever your opponent may be. Now we have to build your campaign team and your war chest." He waved toward the ballroom. "You can formally announce your candidacy to the group that's been lubing themselves up out there. Their checkbooks should be a lot easier to pry open by now. We'll get the right people involved, open a campaign office, and you can start making appearances at events. Are you ready for that?"

Kate drew a deep breath. "I'm am."

Herman drew her chair out for her. "Then let's go."

* * *

Kate was juggling cake boxes when Castle let her in the door. "Oh, I'm glad you remembered the cakes. I was going to call and remind you, but the boys were too excited to nap. Then they decided they wanted to help me with the party decorations, which meant it took me about three times as long to get them up. Thank God for our younger daughter. She's been reading them Little Red Riding Hood, and making up musical themes for the characters. It's sort of like Peter and the Wolf, except that it's Grandma and the Wolf and she told them that Grandma has red hair like Mother and Alexis. So how did your meeting go?"

"The campaign is on its way, Babe, but it looks like I might be up against some stubborn opposition. Do you recognize the name Tony Colson?"

"A Legal Aid lawyer?" Castle queried.

Kate nodded, as she and Castle set the cakes on the counter in the kitchen. "You've heard of him?"

"I more than heard of him. I saw his act!" Castle declared. "He was the attorney for Brian Mosely, that McNeary tried to b.s.. From what I saw, you're going to have to watch out for him, Kate. He plays to win."

Kate licked a bit of frosting that had escaped a cake box, from her finger. "So do I, Babe. So do I."


	23. Chapter 23

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 23

The storefront the _Kate Beckett for State Senat_ _e_ _Campaign_ had rented was crammed with volunteers. Both men and women who had been aided by FTC, as well as parents of children impacted by toxins in the environment, were anxious to aid their candidate. They stuffed envelopes, posted on social media, updated the website, and worked the phones.

Kate sat at a desk in the midst of the activity, reviewing her talking points for an interview on a local radio show. The morning shows were hard enough, but usually upbeat, with enough silliness thrown in to keep drivers amused on their way to work. The Burt Carlin showed aired in the evening, when only serious radio listeners tuned in. To say that Carlin was not known for liberal politics or an embrace of science, would be to put it lightly. In fact, when most conservatives had finally admitted to the reality of Global Climate change, he had been one of the last holdouts. He had come around, when his Florida beach home had been flooded out by the fourth "Storm of a Century," within a decade. But he still adhered to the precept that the less government there was, the better off the people would be. He had been fine with the efforts of FTC, as long as they were privately funded. But he was staunchly opposed to anything that might require money he considered stolen from taxpayers. It would be up to Kate to try to make him see that healthier children would cost the taxpayers less as adults. Castle had offered to go to the interview with her, for moral support, but she had decided that if she could stand up to Carlin on her own, she could stand up to just about anyone. She checked her father's watch, which still ticked away on her wrist. It was almost time to leave for the radio station. She indulged in several cleansing breaths before going out to hail a cab.

With soup-can headphones covering her ears, Kate tried to relax in the close confines of a studio, made even smaller by Burt Carlin's considerable bulk. Burt started talking as the jingle of a mattress company faded away. "Carliners, I have Kate Beckett here. State Senate seats are usually not big news, if they are news at all. So if you haven't heard, Kate is running for a seat up in district 34. That's the one with the Bronx in it. So for those of you who actually cast a vote in that little corner of the city, Kate is going to try to convince me why why we should elect her to spend even more of the taxpayers' hard earned money. Alright Kate, make your case."

"Burt, first I want to offer a correction. I'm not running to spend more of the taxpayers' money. The legislation I and the Fill the Cracks foundation have been trying to get enacted would spend less of it," Kate asserted.

"Well then you must be using some new brand of math, Kate," Carlin interjected. "Can you explain by what twisted logic you've come up with your figures?"

"Not twisted at all," Kate replied, working to keep her voice low and even. "As I'm sure you know, Burt, this country incarcerates millions of people, at a price of upwards of thirty-thousand dollars a year per prisoner. In New York City, that cost is a dizzying one hundred sixty eight thousand dollars a year. Studies have shown that many of those incarcerations could be avoided if prisoners were treated early in their lives for such problems as learning disabilities and other educational and health issues issues that keep them from obtaining decent employment. Now one cause of the impairments that put both men and woman behind bars is lead poisoning. There are many other environmental toxins that contribute to the problem as well, but let's concentrate on lead for the moment. While the cost of treating lead poisoning did escalate briefly, due to an unscrupulous pharmaceutical company raising its prices by seventy-two hundred percent, government intervention has now reduced that cost back to several thousand dollars per child. Now you tell me Burt, what is cheaper, to spend a few thousand dollars treating a child now, or one hundred and sixty-eight thousand dollars a year locking up an an adult later?"

"So Kate, let me get this straight, you're arguing that having the government shell out now, will actually save the taxpayers money in the long run. That's hard to swallow Kate," Burt insisted.

"Well then Burt, think about it as maintenance. I noticed your Escalade parked outside. What's cheaper, to spend a few bucks to change your oil every few months, or to replace a blown engine? We're talking pay me now or pay me me later. And if the bill comes due later, it's higher, much higher. If your listeners want to see the figures, they can check them out themselves on Kate Beckett for State Senate dot com. Or they can stop by our office, and a volunteer will be happy to explain every decimal point. They might even get a free cup of coffee in the process. And..."

"Kate, I'll have to stop you there, we need to go to break," Burt interrupted, pointing at his producer to go to a commercial. "Kate Beckett, that was all the time we had for your segment," Burt announced when they returned to air. "It was interesting having you here."

"It was interesting being here, Burt," Kate responded. "I look forward to helping your listeners trim future government expenditures by supporting the 'Aid to Victims of Toxic Exposures Bill.'"

* * *

"With all three little Castles having finally succumbed to the call of Dreamland, Castle poured two goblets of champagne. He raised his glass in a toast. "To the woman who bested Burt Carlin. You did a truly outstanding job, Kate. If that interview had been a scene in one of my books, I couldn't have written it better. I just wish there was video so I could see the look on that blowhard's face. Did he go red, or make it all the way to purple?"

Kate grinned. "Just red, but there were some ugly sweat stains in his armpits. I don't think he'll ever be able to wear that shirt again."

"So now that you've managed to jam a pike into the wild boar, what's next for the conquering heroine? Into what new territory will you be charging?"

Kate ran a fingertip down his thigh. "For tonight I'd rather stick to familiar territory. There is much to be said for keeping the fires burning on the home front."

"There is indeed," Castle agreed. "In fact I'm getting warmer by the minute. But the kids are asleep and there is something very familiar that we've missed for a while."

"You mean dancing?" Kate asked.

"I do," Castle confirmed. "And I know the perfect piece of music."

"What?"

"I need to do a download, but if you finish your wine and go up to the turret, I will meet you there and surprise you," Castle promised.

Castle joined Kate in their circular retreat a few minutes later. He thumbed the play arrow on his phone, tucked it into the pocket of his shirt, and opened his arms. Proudly, he waltzed his wife around the floor to Queen's declaration of "We Are the Champions."

A/N In answer to a guest comment, Latu's Trails is not just a preschool. That was implied the first part of Life Goes On, when Castle stated that when the twins were old enough, they could join Lily there. I see it as going through primary and middle school. The kids will have to go elsewhere for High School.


	24. Chapter 24

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 24

It was sixty degrees, not the warmest of days. In the summer or even late fall, it might have called for the grabbing of a sweater, but in the early spring, after a frigid winter, it seemed almost tropical. Rick stood in the driveway with his arm around Kate as they watched the van bearing their children drive off to Latu's Trails. "Game for a second cup and a couple of the chocolate chip muffins I hid behind the celery?" Castle asked.

Kate nuzzled her head into her husband's shoulder. "Sounds like heaven. And I don't even have any meetings until noon. I want to drop in on campaign headquarters first, but that still gives us plenty of time to relax - unless you have something scheduled for this morning."

"Just my usual bout of slaving away at the keyboard," Castle responded. "Nothing that should..."

"Damn!" Kate muttered as her cell phone buzzed."Castle, it's your mother. Why would she be calling me?" Kate didn't wait for Castle's answer. "Yes, Martha, good morning."

Martha's voice was ragged. "I'm afraid it's not a good morning, Katherine. Your father had a stroke last night. I discovered it this morning when I woke up to do my voice exercises." Paling, Kate put the phone on speaker. "Usually he makes coffee while I vocalize," Martha continued, "but he couldn't move, he couldn't even talk to me. I'm at the hospital now, The doctors are running tests, but they look grim. I can see that it's bad."

"Which hospital?" Kate asked, as Castle was already out of his seat.

"Marlowe Memorial."

"I'll be right there," Kate assured her step mother."

"We'll be right there," Castle corrected.

Castle took the wheel of the car, guiding it through New York City morning traffic as fast as he dared. "It may not be as bad as it sounded, Kate. You know mother's propensity for drama."

"Castle, that was not your mother being a diva, that was your mother being a wife - and she was scared to death. I know, I've been there."

Castle reached over to take her hand. "I know, we both have."

* * *

Martha embraced Kate, as she and Rick came into the waiting area. "Oh darling!"

"Have you heard anything else, Mother?" Castle queried.

"One of the doctors was here a few minutes ago. She said the MRI showed it was a brain bleed. That means they can't give him any of that clot busting miracle drug you hear about. His brain is swelling from the pressure of the blood. They're going to perform surgery to relieve it. She said that he bleeds very easily because of damage to his liver. You know, from all the time he was drinking. It's not good, Richard. It's not good at all."

"Did she say how long the surgery will take?" Kate asked.

Martha shook her head. "Just that she'd let me know when she had more news."

"Then we'll settle in here," Castle declared. "Is there anything you need? Mother? Kate?"

"Richard, if you would call Jim's office and explain the situation, I'd appreciate it," Martha responded. "He was supposed to be in court today. They'll have to get - oh Katherine, what do you call it?"

"A continuance, Martha," Kate answered softly.

Castle laid a hand on Martha's shoulder. "I'll take care of it, Mother."

Castle moved off to a quiet corner to make the call, while Kate and Martha sat, tightly clasping each other's hands.

The clock ticked with agonizing slowness. Kate took time to call FTC and her campaign office, to have her schedule cleared. Castle arranged to have Sarah Kasparov come to take care of Lily and the twins when the van delivered them home from school.

Finally the doctor reappeared, still wearing a surgical cap. "We had some complications," she told Martha, as Kate and Rick listened, "but he came through the surgery. He'll be in ICU. An aide will come and get you when you can see him, but you will only be allowed a few minutes at a time. It may be hours or even days before he recovers consciousness. We'll have to monitor him carefully and see what kind of function he has. I'm sorry, right now I can't tell you much more than that, or make any promises. I know it the hardest thing in the world to hear, but we'll just have to wait and see."

"No," Martha declared. "The hardest thing in the world would have been to hear he was dead. As long as he's alive, we'll get through this."

* * *

Martha found that the constant bleeping of the equipment to which Jim Beckett was tethered was both a distraction and a comfort. It set her already frayed nerves on edge, but every bleep told her that her husband was still with her. She and Katherine had been taking turns at his bedside while Richard faithfully fetched coffee and provided encouraging words. As evening fell, he had returned home to relieve Sarah Kasparov. Martha said a silent prayer of thanks for the family her granddaughter had chosen to marry into. Alexis had made some questionable choices in beaus, something that seemed to be in the genes, but when it counted, she had chosen well. Sergei had taken charge of Bernard, and Alexis would be arriving soon herself, bringing Martha a change of clothes.

Martha had been in multiple movies and television productions where family and friends sat faithfully by bedsides, talking and reading to unconscious patients. She'd had a few of those roles herself. Richard had even written that kind of scenario into one of his Nikki Heat books, she couldn't remember which one, in which Nikki read every day to an unconscious Rook. Somehow those stories always worked out with the patient emerging from a coma to greet a joyous loved one. Real life held no such promise, but before he left to care for his children, Richard had helped her download one of Jim's favorite books to her phone. With unspoken understanding, he'd even made sure it displayed in the largest font. She began to read out loud on page one of _The History of Baseball._

* * *

With the irregularity of their mother's schedule, Reese and Jake were not disturbed by their mother's absence, as long as they had their own special version of pizza and got to watch a _Speedracer_ video before bed. Lily was another matter. Mrs. Kasparov had told her that her that her Grandpa was sick and in the hospital, and she deluged her father with questions about his illness, most of which Rick couldn't answer. She also asked to go to the hospital to see him, a request which Castle had to deny, explaining that Lily was too young to be allowed in the special part of the hospital where Grandpa Beckett was. Lily was not at all calmed by Castle's bedtime story about the rescue of a king with a sleeping enchantment, and for the first time in a while, needed to cuddle her purple elephant to fall asleep.

When the kids were down for the night, Rick tried to take some time to catch up on his writing. Concentration was difficult and the right words seemed determined to elude his grasp. When he finally climbed into his own bed, it felt cold, endless, and empty. Envying the comfort Lily drew from her elephant, Castle wrapped himself around Kate's sleep shirt and fell into restless slumber


	25. Chapter 25

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 25

After getting the twins and a reluctant Lily off to school in the morning, Castle perused Kate's collection of clothes. He was searching for the most comfortable things he could find for her to wear to hunker down in a hospital. Unfortunately, Kate usually dressed more for effect than comfort, to which her large collection of heels testified. He finally settled on her workout clothes, with an extra hoodie for warmth.

Considered stabilized, Jim Beckett had been moved from the ICU. Machines still bleeped, but he had shown no signs of rousing. Kate and Martha had both managed to catch a little sleep in chairs, while Alexis had taken up the vigil, but the younger woman had returned home to her toddler, so that her husband could take his shift in the CSU laboratory. After embracing her own husband, Kate gratefully took the clothes that he'd brought, and retreated to the bathroom to change.

Castle gathered Martha into a deep hug. "How are you doing, Mother?"

"I have been better, Richard," Martha confessed. "If there was just some sign, if he would just twitch a finger, it would be so much better, but there's been nothing. I have learned a great deal about baseball, however. I had no idea the game has been so wracked with scandal. I've always thought of it as boringly clean, like hot dogs and apple pie."

"Mother, hot dogs have insect parts and rat turds in them and apple pie is full of carbs and fats," Castle pointed out. "Nothing is clean if you look at it too hard. That's what's filled our family coffers."

"True, Richard, which is why the older I get, the more I hate closeups. But except for you, I've never been closer to anyone than I have to Jim." Martha's voice broke as emotion constricted her throat. "I just can't bear the thought of losing him."

Castle held her, tears soaking his jacket. "I know, Mother. But it's only been a day. The doctor said it might be much longer than that. He could wake up at any time. You just have to hang in there."

"Richard, have I told you I love you?"

Castle's mouth turned crookedly upward. "Not lately, but I think you've had other things on your mind."

* * *

Tony Colson sat in a booth at Pastorelli's Pasta House, with Marco Spillano, his capo. "Kate Beckett's been off the radar for a few days," Tony observed.

"Yeah, her father had a stroke. Our plant in her campaign office says she's been spending a lot of time at the hospital. We were thinking while the Kate's away..." He smiled at his own pun. "You know, we cook up some kind of a scandal," Marco continued.

Colson shook his head thoughtfully. "I don't know, given the situation, that could be seen as kicking her when she's down. It could stir up the sympathy vote. It might just be better to set up to get the whispers going when the old man is better."

"What kinda whispers did you have in mind?" Marco questioned.

"We use Kate's strength against her," Tony explained. "One of the things her campaign points to is the good work she has been doing with that foundation her husband set up. We could just turn the whole thing on it's head, make it look like charitable money given to the foundation is being used to fund her campaign."

Marco reached across the table to affectionately slap Tony's cheek. "The old noodle never stops working away, does it kid? Sure, we plant a couple of stories in the press. Put it out on Facebook and Twitter. Even if she proves it isn't true, her campaign will still be screwed. People just love a scandal, especially about some beautiful broad with a rich husband. I can get some people started on it. She'll never know what hit her." Marco enthusiastically stuck a forkful of linguine in his mouth. "This stuff is really good. I love it spicy!"

"Yes," Tony agreed. "A little spice in the right places is exactly what we need."

* * *

Castle absently picked up his buzzing cell phone as he pounded out the last sentence of a paragraph. "Rick, it's Dino Scarpelli."

Castle winced. The Don with whom he had made an unwilling blood oath had gotten him thrown out of Twelfth, years ago. With Kate's captaincy and subsequent involvement in politics, Castle had tried his best to avoid getting tied up again with the mob. With Kate's campaign going on, there could be few worse times to have that kind of an association. "Long time, Dino," he greeted the mobster reluctantly.

"Look Rick, I owe you, and I never forget a debt, so I'm makin' good now," Dino explained. "As you are probably aware, we keep tabs on the Spillano family. They had a serious setback some years back when Jimmy the rat lived up to his name and spilled his guts against them. I believe you and Kate played a part in that. Recently, they've been findin' new ambition, staking out territory in the Bronx. So they're lookin' to get their guys into the government up there, like that lawyer, Tony Colson, who's running against Kate now. Word is, they're tryin' to stir up trouble, smear your wife. So I'm givin' you a heads up so you can block their play."

"Dino, I appreciate it. Any idea what they're planning?" Castle asked.

"No, But I hear they have someone in Kate's campaign. You smoke out that rat, and you should be able to make 'em squeal."

"Then I'd best get onto trapping rodents. Thanks Dino."

"No thanks necessary, Rick. We're square now," Dino declared. "Best of luck to Kate, we don't need the Spillanos pickin' up any more territory."

When Castle called RCI, Esposito picked up the phone. "Yo man, how's Kate's Dad?"

"No change," Castle reported, "but Kate has another problem she doesn't even know about yet." Castle went on to explain about what he'd just heard from Dino Scarpelli."

"I'm with you, man," Esposito responded. "You need background on everyone involved in Kate's campaign."

"And I need it yesterday, Javi." Rick added. "Once the Spillanos start carrying out whatever their plan is, it may be too late."

Castle glanced at his watch. It was almost time for the van to arrive. Grabbing his coat and scarf from the front closet, he went out to his driveway to wait for his kids. "I want to see Grandpa," Lily insisted, before she was even through the front door. "I wrote a song for him, all about our family and how we love him. Kirk helped me with some of it. I can sing and play it for Grandpa on my little keyboard. Please Daddy."

Castle scooped up his daughter and pulled her tightly against his chest. "Sweetheart, I need to check with the hospital and see if they'll even allow that. Hospitals have a lot of rules. But if they will, I'll take you. If Grandpa can hear anything, he should be able to hear your song."

Working his way through the automated system and then the bureaucracy, Castle finally connected with a sympathetic administrator. He arranged to bring Lily to see Jim the next morning, while her brothers were at school. Then he called Lagi Latu to fill him in on why Lily would be absent from Latu's Trails. Lagi was already aware of how upset Lily was about her grandfather, and assured Castle he'd do whatever he could to support the girl's efforts to help.


	26. Chapter 26

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 26

Reese and Jake preened, proud to climb in the van without their sister. Lily smoothed her concert dress. She had put it on, explaining that it was the right thing to wear to play for Grandpa. Castle fervently hoped that Jim Beckett would get a chance to see it. He loaded a case containing Lily's keyboard and rack into the back of the car and strapped Lily into her booster seat.

Traffic was heavy, and the drive to the hospital in lower Manhattan was slow. Lily fidgeted the whole way, anxious to be at her keyboard. Kate had been at the hospital for several hours by the time Castle and Lily arrived, and Martha had awakened from a partial night's sleep snatched in the family center maintained in a hospital annex. Castle helped Lily set up, and Martha held Jim's hand. Kate and Rick looked on while Lily played and sang.

At first it seemed that nothing was happening, but toward the end of the song, Martha thought she felt one of Jim's fingers move. "Play your song again, darling," she told Lily. She was sure this time. A finger was moving. "Come on Jim," she begged, "wake up and listen to your granddaughter. Come back to me!" Jim Beckett's lashes began to flutter. "Keep playing, keep singing, Lily," Martha urged. Castle went to get a nurse.

When Castle returned with a nurse and a doctor, Jim's eyelids were half open. The doctor eyed the readout. "Heart rate is up. Mr. Beckett, can you hear me?"

"I'd rather hear Lily," Jim croaked.

Martha cupped his cheek as his eyes opened wider. "You're back!"

"I need to ask you all to step out now. I need to do some tests." the doctor ordered.

Martha squeezed Jim's hand. "We'll be right outside."

Martha anxiously paced the halls, while Castle stood with his arm around Kate, who was holding Lily's hand. Finally the doctor emerged from Jim's room and approached Martha. "He's going to have to spend some time in rehab. He has some weakness on his left side, particularly in his left leg. But that is likely to improve with therapy and time. As far as we can tell so far, his faculties are intact. He recognized all of you. He knows where he is and he has no trouble finding his words. As you know, his surgery corrected a tangle of blood vessels he's probably had since birth, which along with his liver damage, was the cause of this. But he still should be watched carefully. We'll want to get regular blood counts to make sure there isn't any undetected bleeding. But all in all, I'd say your husband is an extremely lucky man. You can all go back in there now." The doctor turned to Lily. "Your grandfather is asking for an encore, young lady." Lily bounced back into Jim's room.

* * *

Esposito waited in his car outside Kate's campaign headquarters, for Jillian O'Hara to take lunch break. With a name like O'Hara, one might have pegged her for a connection to the Westies, but not the Spillanos. He figured that was the point of using her as a plant. Her attitude toward Tony Colson, if she had one at all, should have been hostile. But Jillian was the girlfriend of Joey Spotini, first cousin of Jimmy Spillano. After vetting the campaign staff, Esposito had narrowed it down to the shapely, green-eyed redhead. On a friendly drop in, Roselyn had managed to plant a bug in Jillian's ever-present tote bag. It had a short range, but if he stayed close, Esposito knew he should be able to listen in on whatever she said.

At twelve thirty, like a typical New Yorker, Jillian began the eight block walk to Fratelli's Pizza and Subs. After ordering a turkey sub with banana peppers and extra tomatoes, Jillian slid into a small booth away from the counter. Five minutes later she was joined by Joey Spotini, bearing a meatball sub and a bag of chips. "Whattaya got?" Joey asked, coaxing the meatballs to the center of the long tube of bread.

Jillian pulled an errant shard of turkey from the side of her sandwich. "Kate called into the office this morning. They put it on speaker. She told everyone her father's going to be fine and she'll be in later this afternoon. Everybody cheered, and one of the girls went out to get a cake or something."

"Good, that's good, we can get Marco's plan going. Adriana is going to start tweeting questions about Kate's campaign and Fill the Cracks Foundation. She said she's got dummy accounts and bots to spread it around. What I need you to do is keep your ears open, so we know if Kate Beckett twigs. First thing you hear, you let me know. If she puts anything out, Tony will be ready with words of his own."

"No problem," Jillian agreed. She batted mascara laden lashes. "So when we finish here, maybe we got some time for dessert."

Joey smirked. "Sure, I got the car parked in a nice quiet little alley around the corner. And I got a blanket and that stuff you like, in the back seat."

Jillian rounded her lips with her tongue. "Sounds yummy."

* * *

While Rick, Kate, and Lily were catching a quick lunch of their own at the Burger Barn near the hospital, Castle's phone buzzed with a text. Esposito was to the point. "They're doing it now!"

"Kate, the trolls are crawling out from under the bridge," Castle said.

Lily looked up at her father. What trolls Daddy? Are they evil? Do you have some magic fairy dust to put them to sleep?"

"We use a different kind of magic on these trolls," Castle explained. "I have a special magician to do it. He's called Marty the Media Maven."

"Is he ready to go?" Kate asked.

Castle typed in a quick text. "Launching now."

The "Who is Smearing Kate Beckett?" campaign flooded through the social media, with comments questioning why anyone would attack someone with such a long and sterling career of public service. Other comments speculated about whether Tony Colson was behind it. Still others raised questions about Tony's connections. Before the day was out, #Kateisclean was trending, as was #Colsonisconnected. At the same time, tweets went out from the Kate Beckett campaign urging that no judgments be made, and stressing that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. The media was more than happy to dig for guilt, and stories soon flew about Tony's history and activities, again with Kate's campaign urging fact checking and fair play.

* * *

Luigi Pastorelli brought another bottle of house wine to Marco Spillano's table. "What the hell happened, Marco?" Tony demanded. "It's like they knew what we were going to do and they were ready. Did your plant in Beckett's office shoot off her mouth?"

Marco's face reddened. "Respect, Tony. Remember who you're talking to. Jimmy says Jillian is solid. And Jimmy is the Don's son. He's gonna be in charge someday. Maybe this Kate Beckett is just smarter than you thought. She sure got the better of you. Now we're going have to depend on some of our other guys."

Tony downed his wine in a gulp. "Kate Beckett may have won this fight, but I don't forget. The next time she comes up against me, she better watch her ass.


	27. Chapter 27

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 27

Easter was coming, and a couple of weeks later, Lily's birthday. Old enough to have full measures of excitement about a visit from the Easter Bunny, Jake and Reese were looking forward to the family Easter egg hunt. Lily would be the oldest hunter, but they would not be the youngest ones. That would be a slot filled by their nephew Bernard, now capable of toddling to the over-sized plastic eggs and putting them in a basket. With her campaign going well, and Jim Beckett making good progress, Kate's stress level had fallen considerably, and a somewhat enthusiastic Castle had been making plans. He had originally intended to have the proceedings on the lawn, but a warning of heavy thunderstorms had changed his mind, making the inside of the Castle castle the preferred venue. He and Kate had decided that their home offices would be off limits for the Easter Bunny, as would the children's rooms, and the kitchen. That still left a lot of possible hiding places for the toy stuffed giant ova.

A combination of thunder and anticipation made falling asleep on Saturday night difficult for both the twins and Lily. By the time the kids were inhabiting their dreamscapes, Rick and Kate needed a breather before acting as stand-ins for the holiday rabbit. Castle made two lattes, shaping the foam into round heads with long ears. Kate smiled into her cup. "Cute, Castle."

"Appropriate in any case," Castle replied. "But concealing the treasures shouldn't take much hopping around on our part. We want the kids to be able to find them without too much frustration. This year's eggs are day glow, which should make them even easier to spot. Then we can have Easter dinner before they get cranky hungry."

"Hon, I'm not objecting, but I was really surprised that you decided to order the meal from Family Fest this year. Usually you get such a kick out of thinking up new twists on your own special Castle spread."

"You mean like those Easter eggs molded entirely out of yolks, for the twins?" Castle asked.

"Yeah, those could have come out better," Kate remembered.

"We were getting bits of yellow out of everything for a week," Castle recalled. "But the twins have grown past some of their restrictions, and I just didn't feel like working that hard this year."

Kate stroked the late day stubble on his jaw. "You okay Babe? You seem really tired. With the campaign, and my dad, and everything, I've piled a lot on you - even more than usual. Maybe I've just gotten too used to you being able to handle anything. You get so excited about special events, sometimes I forget you have your limits, too."

"I am excited about all the special times in Lily's, Jake's, and Reese's lives. I love seeing our kids get to do a lot of the stuff I missed out on because Mother was away so much when I was a kid. But I am tired," Castle admitted. "The last couple of chapters haven't been going well. My editor wasn't happy with my revisions. I'd like to scrap the book, or at least put it aside for a while and start another one, but my contract with Curtis and Strom doesn't allow for that, so I've just been trying to push through."

"Then let's finish hiding the eggs and maybe I can pamper you a little, for a change," Kate proposed.

"What you have in mind?" Castle asked.

"Still thinking about it," Kate acknowledged. "But I'll come up with something."

"That's supposed to be my line." Castle teased.

The last egg was secured in the storage under the window seats in the turret. Kate instructed Castle to go put his feet up in his office and wait until she was ready. She adjusted the mix from the faucets to fill the Jacuzzi tub to a comfortable warmth. While the water rose, she lit candles, aromatic with apple and cinnamon. Kate made sure the towel warmer was on, and filled it with fresh bath sheets. She poured two fingers of single malt for Castle and a glass of red wine for herself. Then slipping out of her clothes and wrapping herself in a silky kimono, she went to get Castle.

Rick was leaning back in his chair with his feet propped on his desk and his eyes closed, when Kate found him. He seemed asleep, but he opened his eyes as she approached, and reached for her sash. "Ooh, do I get to unwrap my surprise now?"

Kate grabbed his outstretched hand. "In a minute. I have something to unwrap first." The rain was beating hard against the window when she led him to the steamy environs of the over-sized master bath. She offered him his scotch and took a sip of ruby liquid, before putting both glasses on a shelf. Undoing the one button that had been fastened on his polo shirt, she stretched up on her bare toes to pull it over his head. Then she reached for his belt. She unbuckled it, letting it hiss against the loops on his jeans as she pulled it free. Castle was already shifting restlessly as she opened the one brass button uncovered by removing his belt, and yanked on the zipper of his fly. Plunging her fingers below his waistband, she eased his jeans down his legs to the floor, her touch urging him to step out of them. His boxers followed. She guided his hand to her sash. "Now, Babe." Letting the kimono slip to the floor as well, she climbed into the tub and stood with her arms open. "Come on in, the water's fine."

"I could never turn down an invitation like that," Castle murmured, following her into the swirling foam."

"Sit, Babe," Kate invited. Kneeling between his legs, she dipped a bath sponge into the water. She began by washing his shoulders, and worked her way down his body, each stroke bringing nerve endings alive. When she finally reached between his legs, he was at full attention He jerked at the touch of the sponge. His breath grew harsher and faster as she worked her way down his thighs and calves.

Unable to bear waiting through her ministrations any longer, Castle pulled her to him. In the slickness of the water, they were instantly one. Castle's breathing quickened even more as they moved together, while the water sloshed over and around them. Castle's hands slid slickly over every inch of Kate's skin, as their mouths pressed hungrily. Lightning flashed through the window, followed by thunder that shook the room. The vibration engulfed them, driving them even deeper into each other. They convulsed together, sensation rolling through them, even as thunder rolled through the sky. Spent, they curled into each other, as the water slowly cooled.

When they finally recovered the strength to leave the still bubbling water, they cocooned each other in warm terry. Kate led Castle on the short walk to the bedroom where she had already pulled back an inviting triangle of sheet and duvet. "Get in Babe," She gestured back toward the bathroom. "I'll let the water out and pick up in there and I'll be right back. Castle shed his towel and slid between the sheets. She tucked the comforter around him.

The bathroom floor was damp. As the water drained from the Jacuzzi, she used a towel to mop up, then picked up their discarded clothes, dropped them in the hamper, and returned to the bedroom. Climbing into bed herself, she snuggled contentedly against the warm bare chest of her soundly sleeping husband.


	28. Chapter 28

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 28

Lily wanted a musical birthday. The house had been decorated with crepe paper streamers bearing musical notes. Balloons with musical themes floated near the ceiling. Chairs and music stands had been set up around Lily's piano to accommodate a jam. The invitations that had been sent out to budding musicians, suggested dressing in comfortable clothes, rather than the formal ones they'd wear for concerts and recitals. Lily herself wore an outfit in lavender fleece, with the image of Mozart emblazoned across her chest.

Members of The Young People's Orchestra and Kirk's students from Lagi's Trails, arrived bearing gifts and their instruments. Kirk had been recruited as guest conductor. Reese and Jake had been instructed that as long as they paid attention to Kirk, they could participate with sticks and small drums. Kirk led a game of "Name That Tune," until all the guests arrived, then the children took seats in their sections of the improvised orchestra pit. Kirk handed out sheets of simple upbeat music.

Kirk led his junior musicians in songs from Disney movies, including a theme from the animated Tarzan, to which Jake and Reese happily beat jungle rhythms. After a lively set, Castle officiated as games master. The party-goers pinned the baton on the conductor, beat a _pi_ _ñ_ _ata_ shaped like a base drum, and played musical chairs. The orchestra was reassembled to play _Happy Birthday_ , when Kate brought out a cake shaped like a grand piano. Lily blew out the candles and Kate cut slices and dished out ice cream and non-dairy alternatives. Finally Lily opened her gifts, and each child left with a gift of their own, a book of tales of musicians.

After the last of the guests had departed, Kate, Rick, and Kirk sank down in the living room with coffee. Castle gazed at the party debris. There were scattered sheets of music, shards of pinata, and a few game pieces, but nothing that couldn't be cleaned up relatively quickly. The floor of the dining room had been treated to cake crumbs and a few sticky drips, but was not a hazard to navigation. "We got off easy," he commented. "There isn't even anything embedded in the walls. But then that's more the adult version of fun. We're still a few year away from alcohol induced loss of inhibitions."

Kate's eyebrows rose, as if to inquire when Castle had needed alcohol to lose his inhibitions.

Kirk gulped the rest of his coffee. "I need to get going. I have a gig at a nursing home tonight. For some of their residents, music is the only thing that elicits a response."

Kate nodded. "Music certainly helped my father. I don't know what would have happened if Lily hadn't played for him."

Castle extended a hand holding an envelope. "We really appreciate you helping out. I'll walk you to your car."

"Something on your mind, Rick?" Kirk asked as he and Castle took the few steps to the driveway.

"Lily," Castle confided. "before my father-in-law's stroke, she talked about writing music and playing concerts, and she still does. But now she's added helping people, like she helped her grandfather, into the mix. As a music therapist, you're pretty much her idol. I was just wondering if there was something we should be doing to give her as much understanding of her choices as we can."

"Wow, Rick. That's actually quite a compliment. And nothing is either/or. I teach the little ones and do therapy. I sit in with a band too. It's about a lot more than music. Lily has a lot of years to figure it out. Just expose her to as many options as you can. There are groups of kids that perform in hospitals and convalescent homes. She's a little young for that yet, some of the injuries are pretty horrendous. It can be frightening, even for adults. But when she's ready, I can help you get her involved. That will help her decide if that's a road she really wants to follow."

"Well thanks again," Castle said, as Kirk slipped into the driver's seat of his car.

"No, thank you, Rick, and Kate too. I appreciate being involved in Lily's life. There are a lot of talented kids out there, but she's one of a kind."

"Don't I know it," Castle agreed, and waved as Kirk drove off.

"Our daughter is one of a kind," Castle announced as he returned to finish his coffee.

"Castle, I believe that runs in the family," Kate ventured. "I think this party was another Castle first. You know we almost skipped your birthday this year, with it coming the day after Easter."

"Seems to me you gave me a pretty terrific present," Castle recalled. "I'm never going to look at the Jacuzzi in quite the same way. And I wasn't really up for an outing then anyway."

"But you got through the chapters that were bothering you, didn't you?" Kate inquired.

"I did," Castle confirmed. "Thumbs up from my editor. You'd think she'd be more literary than to communicate by emoji."

"Well I thought maybe we could do a little belated celebrating," Kate proposed."I'll be right back."

She returned holding a wrapped cube."You already gave me a present - I mean besides... That mint copy of Brave and Bold introducing Eclipso was great," Castle protested.

"Uh hmm," Kate agreed, "but this is one I can enjoy with you. Open it!"

Castle tore away the wrapping paper. "The complete works of Lance Delorca, with directors cuts! How did you get this? When did you get this?"

"I've had a watch going on Ebay for years. They just sent me a notice a couple of days ago. It was late, but I knew you'd want it, and our anniversary isn't until the Fall, so I thought..."

Castle framed grasped the sides of her face with both hands and brought his lips to hers. "Thank you! Wow, I want to watch at least some of this, but I don't want to give curious little ones any new ideas about massive destruction. Maybe the party tired them out enough to fall asleep early and we can..."

Kate's phone signaled an alert from FTC. She picked up immediately. "Jenny, what happened?"

The words tumbled through the speaker. "Kate, someone broke into your office. We're not sure when it happened. The door was closed, and you were gone, so nobody had even been in there since yesterday, except for whoever broke in."

"There was no money in there, nothing of value to steal except the computer equipment, and someone would have been seen carrying that out," Kate puzzled.

"Kate, the computer and the printer are still there. I wouldn't have known anything was taken, except the door wasn't locked. I thought maybe you forgot. But I went to get a file from that drawer that's normally so full we had to start another one. Well it wasn't full anymore, Kate. There were files missing. And Livy, you know, the cop that volunteers here sometimes, she said there were scratches around the lock. She thinks it was jimmied. We called the precinct, and they sent a unit out, but all they did was take a report. I guess a few missing files aren't high on the priority list."

"No, they wouldn't be," Kate agreed. "Which files, Jenny?"

"I couldn't tell exactly, Kate. But they were some of the ones of the families we were helping get services for their kids who'd been exposed to some some dumping from a finishing shop. You know all those cases much better than I do. You'll have to check."

Kate looked at Castle, who was mouthing, "Go!"

"I'll be right there," she told her friend.


	29. Chapter 29

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 29

When Kate returned to the Castle castle, Rick engulfed her in his arms. "What did you find out?"

"It was just like Jenny said," Kate replied. "I checked everything in my office, the only thing missing was the files. I checked the history on my computer. As far as I can tell, no one downloaded anything."

"They might not have been able to," Castle pointed out. "Hayley taught us well. Your password is completely random. It would be hard to crack with any speed. Taking the files would only take a few seconds."

Kate's brow furrowed and lines bracketed her mouth."What I can't figure out is why anyone would want them."

"You're using that information as justification for the legislation you're pushing, right?" Castle questioned.

Kate nodded. "Yeah. We're also using it as an example of the type of industries involved. People think of coal mines and chip factories as massive polluters. They don't think of all the little sources of pollution that can still touch lives. Those files help to paint the picture of many small releases contributing to widespread problems."

"And what if the existence of those problems was discredited somehow?" Castle mused.

"What are you getting at, Babe?"

"If I were writing the story, those files would have been stolen so someone could dig up dirt, or invent some, on the families voicing complaints. The right kind of information or invention could even be used to silence them. Then where would the Aid to Victims of Toxic Exposure legislation be? Where would your campaign be? It would be the perfect weapon to strike at the fearless crusader for justice, Kate Beckett."

Kate exhaled slowly. "You're right, Castle, it would. And I think we know who'd want that kind of weapon."

"Or that kind of revenge." Rick added. "Tony Colson. He's lost his credibility with the Spillanos. We should look into what he's up to now - and who's working for or with him. Castle squared his shoulders and put his hands on his hips in a superhero pose. "This sounds like a job for Richard Castle investigations!"

Kate couldn't help the upward pull on her lips."You may be right, Castle, but it's late, if the gang from RCI isn't home, they should be."

"True," Castle agreed, "I'll call Alexis in the morning and find out who's available to be on it." He consulted his watch. "But it's not too late for a little Delorca, if you'd like to join me."

Kate took his arm. "A little kicking ass would be good right now."

Castle grinned. "With Delorca, it will be a lot of kicking ass."

* * *

Ryan slowly sipped his coffee as he sat in his car, down the block from Croton, Magnus, and Fields, Tony Colson's new legal home. It wasn't surprising that Colson had left Legal Aid. If it no longer served his ambitions, there was no point in his staying. He was way too selfish to work for a pittance if he could do better. Ryan had checked out the law firm. They didn't work for little guys, like the businesses cited in Kate's stolen files. Small business could never afford them. However, the associations of which those businesses were members, could. Croton, Magnus, and Fields were on retainer with several of them. That alone might be a motive for Colson to have someone raid Kate's files, but Tony could score a twofer and strike at Kate at the same time. Ryan imagined that would appeal to the scheming attorney very much. But as Kate had pointed out, all they had so far was conjecture. Ryan hoped that following Colson, he' be able to get more.

* * *

As Bernard toddled across the floor, Alexis seriously surveyed the safe room at RCI. It might have been safe before her son was walking, but it wasn't safe now. The outlets were covered and nothing sharp or poisonous was within easy reach, but there was too much glass and too many of her father's old toys. Bernard could still sleep in the crib, but when he was awake, she would have to watch him every second. She couldn't do that and get much work done, even sitting with a laptop across her knees, as her father did when keeping track of Reese and Jake. There were very few sharp edges or dangerously scalable shelves in Castle castle, or in her apartment. There were, in the office retreat. If she was going to continue to bring Bernard to work, the hidden room would have to undergo considerable changes.

There was another obvious solution. Alexis could get a sitter, or even a nanny. She and Sergei both made decent money. They could afford one, at least part time, until Bernard was old enough to join his aunt and uncles at Latu's trails. But that was the last thing she wanted. Her Dad had managed to raise her without a nanny, and the bond it had forged between them was indestructible. Even with the amount of time and energy he dedicated to his second family, he was still always there for her, and she would always be there for him. She wanted a relationship that enduring with Bernard and whatever other children she might have someday. That meant being there.

She would have to transform RCI into a reasonably toddler safe environment. That didn't mean she wouldn't still have to pay attention, but she would be capable of being more productive. She remembered the firm that did the first remodel on the office well, since she had been the one who had been responsible for supervising the construction of her father's fantasy. She decided to give them a call. But she would check in with Ryan first. If someone was after Kate, it was definitely a family affair.

* * *

Colson was on the move. It was possible that he was just taking a walk or picking up a sandwich, but Ryan doubted it. Every move Colson made was efficient, planned, and purposeful. His stride was also too determined for someone just taking a stroll. But fast as his stride was, he was still moving too slowly for Ryan to follow him in a car, without giving himself away. He would have to follow the man on foot. Ryan would also need to look like he belonged in the exclusive Upper East Side neighborhood. He was already wearing a tie, fortunately not one of Jenny's Christmas jokes. He shed the comfort of his sweater vest and retrieved his sport coat from the back seat. Hanging back as far as he could and still keep his quarry in sight, he began to tail Tony Colson. Tony walked for several blocks before turning into a building marked only with a number, the minimum requirement by the post office and the fire department. There were few windows, and they were high and covered by blinds. Ryan pulled out his phone and googled the address. The only entries he could find were the listings for the property the last time it had been up for sale, some five years before. He knew he could find the present ownership in public records, but even those would likely reveal little. He reported to Alexis, who, grateful for a now sleeping Bernard, went to work at her keyboard.


	30. Chapter 30

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 30

Ryan considered himself lucky to have found a cafe with outdoor seating, across the street and a few doors down from the mysterious building into which Tony Colson had disappeared. Nursing a double espresso and a raspberry white chocolate scone, he watched the door for Tony's exit. He couldn't use binoculars without drawing stares, even from New Yorkers, but he had memorized Tony's clothes and gait enough to recognize him, even if he couldn't see his face.

Ryan had been watching for about an hour when he received a phone call from Alexis."Kevin, the ownership of that building runs through a string of holding companies, but at the end of the string is Max Guilford."

"The media mogul?"

"That's him," Alexis confirmed. "Owner of the majority of talk radio stations, a TV network, and the sleaziest tabloids."

"And kingmaker," Ryan added. "Or more like former kingmaker. A lot of the candidates he was pushing in the midterms lost, and his guy was impeached as president. But if he's building a new stable, Colson is small potatoes. Guilford is worldwide. Why would he care about a State Senate race, let alone a disgraced candidate?"

"Maybe because they have a common enemy," Alexis suggested. "Guilford isn't just into media. He's deep into shale oil. He has multiple manufacturing interests. He even owns a coal company. If the environmental agenda Kate is pushing gets adopted by other states, the way marriage equality and pot legalization swept through the country a few years ago, he stands to lose and lose big."

Ryan nodded slowly at his phone. "Uh huh. So he could be bankrolling Colson in whatever dirty tricks he's trying to pull off. Alexis, a guy like Guilford, he wouldn't just have Colson. He'd probably have an army of ass clowns."

"That would be my guess too," Alexis agreed. "Listen, I'm going to get Javi and Roselyn to spell you in keeping that building under surveillance. We need to see who else turns up. And I'll let Kate know too. This has gotten much bigger than the theft of a few files, or Colson."

"Make sure Javi wears a suit," Ryan cautioned. "He'll blend in better. Lotta guys trying to claw their way up the ladder, in this neighborhood. They dress for the part they want."

"Will do," Alexis acknowledged.

* * *

Kate hung up the phone and went to find Castle, who after too long a night of Delorca, was was crafting a strong dark brew in the kitchen. "What's the matter?" Castle asked, immediately taking in the look on her face.

"From what Alexis tells me, things may have gone way beyond Tony Colson." Kate quickly filled Castle in on what she'd heard concerning Guilford.

"A formidable opponent indeed," Castle offered. "Looks like we'll just have to enlist someone more formidable, or perhaps a couple of someones."

"Castle, just what is percolating in that over-caffeinated brain?"

"Guilford is hardly the only billionaire on the planet or even in this country," Castle explained. "He may not like environmental regulation, but there are some that do, especially if they've invested in green technologies. There's Tim Stoyer, out in California. His PAC gives big money to environmental causes. One of the authors at Curtis and Strom based a character on him. We were discussing it at our last author's conclave. Then there's Bates, the biggest billionaire in the world. He's heading up a green energy coalition. I believe the two of them are working together on it. He's never been Guilford's BFF. One of Guilford's tabloids ran a series of stories on Bates, claiming he was possessed by demons. Bates was besieged by would-be exorcists. We just have to bring Guilford's latest machinations to Stoyer's and Bates' attentions and he'll find himself with much bigger worries than Katherine the crusader.

"And exactly how do we do that, Castle?" Kate queried.

Castle grinned. "I know a guy."

* * *

Max Guilford gazed out the window of his his office in the GBS tower, at the protesters in the plaza below. They carried signs bearing the legend, "Max Guilford, Killer of Truth and Our Planet," or just "Max Guilford, Planet Killer." "Where the fuck did they all come from?" he asked his second in command, Roger Aldis.

"I have girls on that now," Aldis replied. "From what they've got so far, those motherfuckers have been bused in from all over the country. It was all funded by a new super PAC, Green Truth. There's supposed to be a press conference today. Our people will be there for damage control."

"Damage control?" Guilford roared. "Look at all the news trucks out there, not to mention all the cell phones which will be uploading this across the web and social media, as fast as fucking tree-hugger thumbs can move. It's a fucking disaster, Roger."

"Calm down, Max," Roger urged. "It's not like our people will believe what those bleeding hearts are selling. Carlin's already prepared a local barrage for tonight. And we have Cramitty and O'Grady spinning this on their shows too. Plus we'll have all our bimbos laughing it up about clueless elites on GBS Friends. Our version will be out there."

"Yeah, but since the last election, our faithful are less than ten percent of the voting public," Guilford pointed out. "Congress and that whore in the White House have been coming down on our operations left and right. Even if we keep all the sheep we have left, we won't be getting anywhere rebuilding our base. Stopping that bitch Beckett was supposed to be the first step on the road back. We won't be able to do shit now."

Roger poured his boss a whiskey and handed it to him. He poured another one for himself and downed half of it in a swallow. "We might still be able to pull this out. We give the news cycle some new red meat. Kate Beckett is looking golden right now, but we don't have to strike at her directly. That writer husband of hers, Castle, has quite a history. There was that time before they were married when he disappeared and was mysteriously found at sea. The two months he was gone has never been accounted for. We could bring the story up again, suggest that Castle and Beckett are concealing some shocking secret. Our viewers and listeners will eat it up and so will all the conspiracy sites. It will keep Beckett busy, and give us a chance to push some of our other guys and rehabilitate Colson. The public has a short memory."

Drops of whiskey splashed to the very expensive carpet as Max pounded Roger on the back. "Roger, now I know why it's worth it to pay off all those girls who claim you've chased them around the desk. That's terrific! Who knows? There might even be a real scandal there, not that it matters. The suggestion is all we need. Get someone on it right away. Dig up every question that's ever been asked about Castle. Get something out there within the hour and then we'll give it round the clock coverage. We could even get some great ratings out of it." Guilford clapped his hands together. GBS was about to turn a fucking nightmare into a fucking dream. But it would still be a nightmare for Castle and Beckett. He couldn't wait to watch Roger make it all happen.


	31. Chapter 31

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 31

It was not often that the New York underground headquarters of the CIA had cable television up on the big screen. It was almost never GBS. Usually their imitation news was reserved for jokes in the break room. But today Agent Letscher watched in consternation. "Damn! We went to so much trouble to bury that mission and cover up the whole LokSat mess. I even let Castle clock me. I didn't think a writer could hit that hard. And then these bozos bring it up again."

"They don't know anything," Agent Danberg pointed out. "Even Castle doesn't know most of what happened. There isn't anything these clowns can expose."

Letscher shook his head. "GBS might not dig up anything. I doubt they'll actually try. This is just mudslinging. But Castle is another story. Now that LokSat is gone and the story's back out in the open again, he'll dig for the truth for himself, and to protect his wife. He may stumble on the memory wipes he didn't know about. He did use snatches of what happened, in his Derrick Storm novels."

"Even he thinks he just dreamed all that up as fiction," Danberg said. "he has no idea he really did more than observe Sofia and sleep with her. Hunt insisted that he never know, so he'd be free to live a life and form relationships of his own. He didn't want Castle going down his path. I wouldn't be surprised if he sent part of the new cadre he's been training after whomever is behind this story, just to shut it down. The old man might even go himself. He does still have a penchant for pulling out fingernails.

Letscher almost suppressed a smile. "That would be interesting to watch. The way he feels about protecting his son, he would go lower than the fingers."

Danberg's hands moved of their own free will to cover himself.

"But even if he was to do that, this thing is already in the echo chamber," Letscher continued. "It will be re-posted and re-tweeted thousands of times. And as satisfying as it might be to have the douche bags at GBS taken out - or wishing they had been - for now, it would just give credence to a conspiracy. Hunt's too smart for that and he plays a longer game. I'm more worried about Castle. We either need to give him a story he can believe, or tell him the truth. We might need both options. The wing nuts will believe whatever Guilford feeds them, but we need to put together a cover to sell to the rest of the public. We can start with a version of the Thailand adventure. Make sure Castle sounds like a hero. Better yet, we have him officially acknowledged as one. If Castle lets it go with that, we're home free. If not, we'll have to take the next step.

* * *

President Liz Ware stood next to CIA director Russ Thompkins behind a podium in the Rose Garden of the White House. The eyes of the press and the invited guests were glued to her. Most of the extended Castle family was there, including Jim Beckett, grasping a cane he still occasionally needed. "There are many covert missions that are carried out for the good of this country and for the good of this world," Ware began. "Some become known years after the fact, either through leaks or declassification. But most of them remain unknown and uncelebrated. The actions of Richard Castle would have fallen into the latter category, but for the unwarranted and erroneous reporting of GDS and the other outlets for their misinformation. After careful consideration, the CIA has deemed that enough time has passed and enough terrorist cells have been destroyed to release a portion of the real story of Richard Castle's disappearance. I will turn the microphone over to Director Thompkins to give it to you."

Russ Thompkins cleared his throat. "At the time of Richard Castle's disappearance, which has recently been returned to the headlines, Al Qaeda was a major threat to the security of this country. We will never forget the men and women who perished on nine eleven, and terrorism in many forms has remained a threat ever since. Many of the threats Al Qaeda posed were interdicted before they could harm the American people. To have let those threats be known would only have lent more power to Al Qaeda and other terrorists everywhere, thus the actions of all of our special operations were kept secret. The fate of millions of Americans hinged on the operation in which Richard Castle was involved. In fact, terrorists went to great pains to see that Mr. Castle would not be involved. When it became known to them that Mr. Castle was the only one trusted by the possessor of vital intelligence, Mr. Castle was run off the road on the way to his wedding, by terrorists with the intent to kill him. They almost succeeded. Our people were able to drag Mr. Castle from his car just before it caught fire. Despite the considerable trauma Mr. Castle had suffered, and the incredible blow of being taken from his bride, family, and friends, Mr. Castle aided us in preventing a tragedy that would made have made nine eleven pale by comparison. There were additional complications to Mr. Castle's mission, which I am not yet free to disclose, resulting in both his injury and the loss of the memory of two months of his life. However, I can assure the American public, that rather than having committed some sad and sordid act, as some in the media would have you believe, Mr. Castle is a hero, one of many, most of whose stories will never be known. Madam President?"

Ware stepped to the podium again. "Thank you Director Thompkins. In recognition of not just Mr. Castle's efforts, but those of so many like him, who at great personal sacrifice give their services to their country, who receive no thanks for what they do, and whose names appear on no plaques or monuments, I am am instituting a special honor today, the American Call Medal. To most recipients, it will be awarded in private, with it's existence known only to a few. Today, I am asking Richard Castle to stand as a symbol of all those brave souls who serve in silence to preserve us all. Mr. Castle, if you would please rise and come forward."

Kate squeezed Castle's hand. He stood and walked toward the podium. Liz Ware extended her hand to shake his, then took a medal handed to her by Russ Thompkins, and hung it around Castle's neck. Cameras clicked and whirred, and all present stood in an ovation.

* * *

Max Guilford glared at the images on a screen that covered most of one wall of his office. "Roger, this is fucking worse than dealing with the environmental crazies, much worse. Now instead of drowning in a sea of shit, Kate Beckett is going to float into the State Senate as a heroine married to a hero, and who knows where to from there. And GBS is a laughingstock. We're going to lose even more viewers. Some of the hard core defense boosters are abandoning us. O'Grady and Cramitty look like idiots. Even Carlin is rethinking his message. And to top it off, goddammit, I think I'm being watched, and not just by paparazzi."

"You too?" Roger asked. "I feel a menace out there, I just haven't been able to catch sight of it. We did piss off the CIA. Who knows what they'll do?"

"I'm not going to wait to find out," Guilford declared. "I'm going down to that resort in Florida I picked up cheap off our guy after he was impeached and needed some fast money. I'm gonna eat great food and drink great wine until things die down. You'd be pretty smart to disappear for a while too. Don't you have a place in the Caymans?"

"I do, but the way things are going, I'm thinking Dubai," Roger mused. "There's no extradition and the women are stupendous. It's Vegas with better construction and fewer rules."

Max nodded thoughtfully. "You have a point. I'd need to move some money around, but I may join you."

A/N Guest, I had already written this chapter when I read your review. Starren would have worked too. :)


	32. Chapter 32

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 32

Rick lay with his head propped on his arm, staring at the ceiling of the Castles' bedroom. Kate sat up and gently stroked his face. "What's wrong, Babe?"

"I still don't know a lot of what happened when I disappeared, and what I do know, doesn't make sense. Kate, I was supposed to have forgotten, to protect you, but how did I know about LokSat in the first place? That should have had nothing to do with my trip to Thailand. And how did I end up in that dinghy? Why were there bullet holes in it? From the little I do know, I was shot by Caleb Brown or his people, in L.A.. The boat was on the other coast." Castle pointed to his watch on the nightstand. "Then there's that."

"What do you mean?"

"My watch was in the tent the CIA phonied up in Massachusetts, right? You gave it back to me. But my watch was still in L.A. I gave it to a restaurant owner in Korea Town when I couldn't pay for a meal, or at least that's what he told me. And why would I have had a watch but no money? Where would I have stayed? Supposedly Hayley was around. Wouldn't she have helped me? Kate the whole thing makes even less sense now than it did before. There are two versions of what happened to me and you could drive a semi through the holes in both of them. Somewhere, the truth is out there,"

Kate covered the smile pushing it's way to her mouth, with her hand. "X Files, Castle?"

Castle shrugged. "No aliens, as far as I can tell, but definitely unexplained events, Kate. Lots of unexplained events. I think Hayley knew a lot more than she ever told me. I'm sure that up to that point she'd had more than a passing acquaintance with my father. Why else would she have gone to such lengths to watch over me and our family? God, I wish she were around to ask! Now that Caleb is gone, there's no reason I shouldn't know everything. I need to know, Kate. When it was necessary to protect you, I could live with the gaps in my memory. I even wanted to. But I can't do that any longer. I need to know the whole story."

"Alexis kept Hayley's things from the office," Kate reminded him. "They're still at RCI. Maybe there's something that could give you a clue."

"Right now I'll grasp at any straw I can find," Castle declared. "As soon as we get the kids off tomorrow, I'm going to RCI. The renovations Alexis wanted to make so the safe room would be safe for my very active grandson, are finished. She should be there."

Kate snuggled into his chest. "Then try and get some rest until then."

* * *

Alexis pointed to a bankers box in the storage closet. "That's everything of Hayley's that I found, except..." Alexis returned to her desk and pulled a USB drive out of a drawer. "This was behind a shelf in the safe room. One of the workmen found it during the remodel. I tried to see what was on it, but it's encrypted. It looked like the kind of encryption Hayley did. With trying to get my job done and keep an eye on Bernard, I haven't had time to crack it. I was going to get to it when I wrapped up my routine investigations for Frasier Industries. We need that work for them, to keep RCI in the black."

"Do you have time to try to crack it now?" Castle asked.

"Mmm. Javi, Kevin, and Roselyn are all in the field, but unless they need my help, I do," Alexis replied. "Hayley was very good, but she showed me a lot of the tricks she used. I might be able to do it."

While Alexis worked on her laptop in the safe room, Castle sifted through the contents of the box. There was a journal, but mostly personal stuff about Hayley enjoying her outings with Alexis, and a few jibes at Castle for not paying more attention to his PI work. There was nothing about Castle's history. There were doodles that Hayley had made, caricatures of the Castle family, including Jackson Hunt, and also of Ryan, Esposito, and some of the other cops from the Twelfth Precinct. There was also a collection of pens from various places Hayley had visited around the world. There was one from a hotel in L.A., not than the one she'd stayed at on her trip there with Castle. He wondered if she'd stayed there when she'd met him before. That was something he would have to check out.

Alexis called to him. "Dad, I've got something!" Bernard quickly toddled to Castle, as he joined his daughter in the safe room. Rick scooped him up without even thinking about it and went to look over his Alexis' shoulder. "I just have file names so far," Alexis explained. "The files are individually encrypted." She pointed at the screen of her laptop. "But Dad, look at the name of that file."

"Castle CIA," Castle read out loud. "How fast can you crack it?"

Alexis shrugged. "I don't know. I'll have to figure out what method Hayley used to encrypt it."

Castle bounced Bernard to a more secure position in his arms. "Would it go any faster if I took this fellow home with me?"

"It probably would," Alexis admitted. "Even though I know the room is safe for him, he always has some of my attention."

Castle smiled his commiseration. "I wouldn't expect anything else. No matter what I was working on, I was always the same way when you were little, and it's been the same with Lily and the twins. Your kids always get at least one eye and one ear. I think it's hardwired into the Castle brain. Okay, I'll take him back to the Castle castle and you can give this your full effort. Call if you find something. You can come and get Bernard, or I can bring him back to you when you're ready."

* * *

Bernard had spent enough time at the Castle home to be comfortable there. There was the added attraction of not having to compete with his uncles for access to crawl tunnel Castle pulled out and set up. Castle assumed his familiar position with his laptop across his knees while Bernard played, changed him with supplies he kept around for the purpose, and cut up finger food for his grandson's lunch.

It was almost time for the van bringing Lily and the twins home from Latu's Trails, when Alexis called. "Dad, I've got the file decrypted, but I don't want to take the chance of attaching this to an email. I'll bring it to you."

When Alexis arrived, Lily had retreated to her room, but the twins were in the living room with Castle and Bernard. While Jake scooted on a riding toy, Bernard was serving as Reese's apprentice with giant building blocks. Alexis handed Castle a drive. "The decrypted file is on here. I can watch the little ones while you look at it, unless you want to wait until Kate comes home."

"Why would I want to do that?" Castle asked.

Alexis wrapped both her hand's around her father's larger one. "Dad, I didn't read much of it, just enough to make sure it wasn't corrupted, but from what I saw, even with your wild imagination, it's going to come as a shock."

A/N Guest, If you recall canon, Jackson Hunt isn't officially on the books of the CIA. According to the official cover story, he left and became a rogue assassin. I have him training people, and have the other agents referring to him as the "Old Man" for a reason. He is old for the field. But given all the dirt that he knows, I would conjecture the only way he'd truly be allowed to leave the company would be feet first. At any rate, many people remain vital and capable into their eighties, nineties, and even hundreds. Some develop dementia at fifty. It's a matter of the genetic lottery. And Hunt appeared to have amazing recuperative powers, going out and killing Gemini hours after surgery by Castle with an Exacto knife and needle nose pliers. The man is definitely an anomaly. Other Guest, Carlin is completely made up, just a composite character partially based on Limbaugh.


	33. Chapter 33

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 33

The question of waiting for Kate became moot, when Rick heard her call to him as the front door opened. "Castle, I had a meeting canceled and I thought I'd come home and see how... oh, hi Alexis."

"Alexis has been spending the day decrypting one of Hayley's files, one about me" Castle explained. "She just brought it to me."

"Well then go read it, Babe," Kate responded. "This is what you've been waiting for."

Castle cleared his throat. "Um, you know, there have been enough secrets. I thought we could read it together."

"You two go ahead," Alexis urged. "I'll keep an eye on the rug rats."

Kate looked from Castle to Alexis, and nodded slowly. "O-o-kay. Castle, I'll put my bag away and join you in your office."

With Kate standing beside him, Rick put the file on his big screen monitor, and opened it. From the language, it was clear that it had not been written by Hayley herself, but was rather a summary of Castle's activities she'd received from someone else.

" _Richard Castle was recruited out of college. As the up and coming author of two best sellers, he had minor celebrity status and could travel freely. In addition, he had suffered a break-up with his girlfriend and had no compromising relationships. Castle served as eyes and ears of the agency, under the cover of playing tourist and promoting his books. His handler was Sofia Turner, who later proved to be a double agent. It is believed that she and Castle may have had a sexual relationship at that time, but it was never confirmed._

" _When Castle returned to the United States, he became involved with an actress, Meredith Lee Harper, and married her. Harper subsequently became pregnant and gave birth to a daughter, Alexis. Immersed in caring for Alexis largely on his own, while Meredith participated in regional theater, Castle asked to be released as an intelligence asset. His memory was wiped of any involvement with the CIA, but it was noted that fragments of his experiences with the agency did show up in altered form in some of his novels featuring a character, Derrick Storm. When asked by fans where his inspirations came from, Castle related that he occasionally was inspired by dreams, which he obviously believed any residual memories of his tenure with the CIA to be. Castle and Harper divorced when Harper had an affair with a director and moved in with him. Castle maintained full custody of Alexis._

" _Castle later requested access to the CIA to gather background material for his books. While the agency was hesitant to grant it, a Senior Asset known as Jackson Hunt insisted that the agency concede. Castle was again paired with Sophia Turner and reactivated. He was of assistance in several areas, showing though_ _t_ _patterns outside the lines of normal agency analysis. Apparently, the attraction still held between Castle and Turner and there was a confirmed sexual relationship. When Castle finished this second tenure with the agency, Hunt insisted that his memory be manipulated so that he had no memory of his participation in missions, and believed he had acted only as an observer. He was_ _also left with the memory that his affair with Turner had ended badly, a story that was shared with Turner as a_ _precaution,_ _against_ _the eventuality that she and Castle might make future contact._

" _That contact did take place at a time when Castle was shadowing police detective Katherine Beckett. While investigating a murder, they became entangled in a plan to destabilize the economy of the United States. It was during this affair that Sofia was revealed as a double agent and shot by Agent Martin Danberg._

" _Two years later, Castle and Beckett became engaged, and Beckett served a brief tenure with the Attorney General's Special Task Force, before returning to work for the N.Y.P.D.. During her time with the A.G., Beckett made inquiries into Senator William Bracken, whom she correctly believed to be responsible for the death of her mother. After returning to the N.Y.P.D., she managed to gather evidence that sent Bracken to prison, and she and Castle prepared to be married. At the time, neither Castle nor Beckett was aware of any connection between Bracken and the CIA. They had, however, become aware of Asset Jackson Hunt, who had been revealed to be Richard Castle's father._

" _Unfortunately for Castle, an urgent situation arose just prior to his wedding, which required his mandatory participation. Bilal Jafari, a source of intelligence from Al Qaeda, relating to a potential bombing in the United States, proved to have been an acquaintance of Richard Castle and demanded his presence to reveal his information. A leak, later determined to have come from LokSat, sent Al Qaeda operatives after Castle, whom they ran off the road and attempted to kill, when he was on his way to his wedding at his beach home in the Hamptons on Long Island, N.Y.. Under the supervision of Agent Letscher, our operatives managed to rescue Castle, who although furious at missing his wedding, shaken up, and bruised from the collision, was able to enlist the aid of a local mobster, one Vincent Cardano, to dispose of the Al Qaeda vehicle._

" _Castle was transported to Thailand to meet with Jafari. The Al Qaeda cell with which Jafari was dealing, was also involved with the drug trade LokSat had used to finance the rise of Senator Bracken. Fearful of discovery, they sent mercenaries led by Ilya Golovkin, to take Jafari and anyone with him out. A squad managed to rescue Castle and a wounded Jafari, by following the signal of a tracer watch Castle had been given. They were transported to Los Angeles, where it was intended that Castle be debriefed before being returned to New York._

" _Castle insisted that as a partner to Bracken, LokSat posed an immediate danger to his fiancee and needed to be taken out, but LokSat's position in the agency prevented such an action. Unwilling to cooperate further, Castle struck out on his own, in Los Angeles. He was contacted by Hayley Shipton, a former MI-5 operative who had participated in several joint operations with Jackson Hunt, and aided his son as a favor. To avoid being tracked, Castle convinced the owner of a restaurant to take his watch. It was later discovered that Castle and Shipton had set up headquarters in the Barn Swallow Hotel, using funds wired to Shipton by Hunt."_

Castle stared at the screen. "The Barn Swallow Hotel," he repeated. "Hayley saved a pen from there."

 _He continued reading. "Castle and Shipton determined that the director of the LokSat cabal was scheduled to fly into Los Angeles. Castle was determined to force him, by any means necessary, to stay away from Beckett. Castle's efforts went awry, and he was grazed by a bullet as he escaped._

" _After recontacting Agent Letscher, Castle begged that Beckett be protected. Letscher convinced him that the only way that could be done, would be if Castle retained no memory of LokSat, or anything that had taken place on his mission. Upon receiving assurance that Beckett would be safe, Castle agreed. Castle recorded a message for himself, which he secured with Shipton, warning himself off pursuing LokSat further. Taking Castle to a CIA installation in Montreal, Letscher had Castle record several short videos for Beckett and his family, on the promise that they would be delivered if anything went wrong. Castle was shown a key being sewn into his clothing to assure that delivery would take place. Castle's memory was manipulated once more, and he was drugged into unconsciousness._

" _Unknown to Castle, a cover story was prepared by Agent Letscher, suggesting that Castle had developed cold feet about his wedding and disappeared to go camping in Massachusetts._ _Castle was transported to the scene so that his fingerprints and DNA could be used to support Letscher's setup._ _However,_ _Castle awoke_ _confused and disoriented,_ _before Letscher finished his setup. Castle took off in a nearby dinghy. Letscher shot several holes in the boat to try to prevent Castle's escape, but was unsuccessful. Castle was picked up by the Coast Guard several days later with no memory of the previous two months."_ Castle sank into the chair at his desk. "I guess we know the rest of it, Kate. The CIA played with my brain like it was Silly Putty, and the last time, they even convinced me it would be a good idea."

Kate wrapped her arms around him. "Castle, they might have been right. When I found out about LokSat, I dived straight back into the rabbit hole, and it nearly killed both of us. But one thing you know now, is you're an even bigger damn hero than we thought you were. And what you did, you did out of love."

A/N Mop and Broom, transformed out of the fanfic world, make in appearance in my story, "New Beginnings" in _100 Voices 2,_ available for pre-order on the Centum Publishing site. There are 99 stories by other authors in the book too.


	34. Chapter 34

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 34

Kate rolled over and pressed herself into Castle's shoulder. "How're you doin' Babe?"

"I don't know," Castle confessed. "That file, what the CIA did to me, that was hard to absorb. I'm still processing. I don't even know for sure the difference between what I made up about Derrick Storm, and what I actually remembered. It's like losing faith in my own imagination."

"Castle, if there's anything you don't have to worry about, it's your imagination. You are so much more than Derrick Storm or Nikki Heat. You've written in several genres and been successful in all of them. And it's not just your writing. It's parties, events, games, bedtime stories, even your cooking. Who else would come up with a chocolate mousse chimichanga?"

"Or want to?" Castle responded wryly.

Kate patted the bed. "And then there's here, too. You may be the most creative man on the planet."

Castle's brows rose in mock offense. "Only on the planet? Kate, there are billions of stars out there, and quite possibly countless parallel universes. Are you saying that someone in Universe Thirty-two might make my imagination look feeble?"

Kate punched him in the arm. "No Castle, I'm not saying that at all, and you know it. In fact I think you just proved my point."

"Not really," Castle replied. "Universe Thirty-two is Supergirl's home dimension, at least on the CW network. Whoever thought that would still be running? She left girl behind years ago."

Kate sat up and pushed back the covers. "Clearly you are working your way back to normal, or at least what's normal for you."

"Then I will demonstrate my creativity on breakfast," Castle declared. "I can give you and the kids a stimulating start on the day. Don't you have that thing for Maria Esposito today?"

"I do," Kate confirmed. "She's going to use the daycare center at FTC to take care of Manuel Ryan, and come back to work. We'll be having a little celebration. I think Jenny will happier than anyone. With me working on my campaign, there's been a lot more on her shoulders. And without Maria, if I win the election, there would be a lot more."

Castle snorted. "If!"

* * *

After an anniversary for Alexis and Sergei and another birthday for the twins, Election Day seemed quiet. With President Liz Ware running for reelection, a state senate race was relegated to a crawl at the bottom of a newscast, if that. Kate Beckett had long disappeared from the news cycle. The workers for the Kate Beckett for State Senate campaign had been invited to the Castle castle for the evening to await the returns. Martha was at the theater, but Jim Beckett was at the Castle home as well, to watch his daughter win her office.

Kate had urged Castle to keep things low key, so the spread for the group gathered around a large screen TV, consisted only of several flavors of coffee and tea, an assortment of fancy cookies, and champagne reserved for the declaration of Kate's victory. The polls in New York were not slated to close until nine P.M., which meant that the twins and Lily would be in bed. Lily had campaigned to stay up to watch Mama get elected, but had only been able to secure a promise that she would hear what happened as soon as she opened her eyes in the morning.

It was going to be a long night. Several states in which Liz Ware had been expected to win easily, remained too close to call for several hours before they were officially projected for her. With the talking heads indulging in prodigious punditry on the national campaigns, there was barely a whisper about local races. Finally, Castle threw the website of a New York radio station that continuously updated local returns, up on the screen. After twenty minutes, Kate's name appeared with a check mark next to it, and the room cheered. Castle uncorked the champagne, then made fresh coffee for anyone who needed it for the trip home. Around two A.M., when Liz Ware had been proclaimed re-elected, the campaign workers departed and Jim Beckett retired to a guest room.

Despite the adults' lack of sleep, morning in the Castle breakfast room was lively. Lily was particularly anxious to see her Grandpa, and asked to play her latest song for him before she left for school. The twins attacked gluten free pancakes with gusto, and Castle was full of plans. "We need to take a family trip to Albany," he announced. "We need to find an apartment or a house up there."

Lily recoiled. "Daddy, we're not moving out of our castle, are we?"

Kate turned to her daughter. "No sweetheart. Mama will just need a place to stay for a few days a month while the State Senate is meeting." Kate glanced at her husband. "You know Castle, I could just stay in a motel when the Senate is in session. That's what most of the state legislators do."

"And come back to a strange, not to mention empty, bed after a hard day of surviving in an atmosphere of hot air?" Castle retorted. "Kate, I don't think so. I would be failing in my husbandly duties. We can get a place you can use as a base, and then the kids and I'll come up whenever we can. It's the state capital. It will be educational."

"And you're gonna shlep the kids on a three hour drive?" Kate asked skeptically.

"Kate, there is a train," Castle pointed out. "We can have leather seats, foot rests, wi fi, snacks, and most importantly, rest rooms. Every so often, it could be a family adventure. And you know how Jake and Reese feel about trains. Since their birthday, when they've been home from school, they've barely left the riding choo choo I set up in in their room."

"They've barely stopped fighting over it either." Kate observed.

"True," Castle conceded, "But they can both ride the train to Albany at the same time."

"Choo choo train!" Reese declared excitedly.

Jake chimed in with a "Woo woo!"

Castle smiled victoriously "See!"

Kate smiled and shook her head. "Alright Castle. You go ahead and plan a house hunting trip for the weekend. We'll take the train and see how it works out."

Lily just managed to get in a song for her grandfather, before climbing into the Latu's Trails van with her brothers. Jim Beckett stood with Kate and Rick and waved goodbye to his grandchildren as the van took off. "I can't believe how big they've gotten, Katie. Lily is practically the image of you when you were her age. And Rick, Martha's shown me pictures of you as a boy. The genes are obvious."

"I'm not sure whether to celebrate or cringe in terror," Castle quipped.

An alarm sounded from Jim Beckett's phone. "I have to get going. I have a case in court this morning."

Kate hugged her father. "It's great that you're back in harness, Dad."

"I've put a lot of the load on my associates," Jim admitted, "but I am enjoying being back in the fight. Katie, if you ever decide to abandon politics, the office could always use another Beckett."

Kate kissed him on the cheek. "That would be great, Dad, and depending on how things go in Albany, in a couple of years I might decide to take you up on your offer, but right now, I've signed on for a job and I'm going to do it."

Jim smiled at his daughter. "I would never expect anything else."


	35. Chapter 35

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 35

Max Guilford glanced nervously around the Dubai Racing Club. Not only had he been losing steadily, betting on both the horses and the camels, but he had the creepy feeling he'd thought he'd left behind in New York. He couldn't see anyone watching him. The players waiting for the next race were either partying or analyzing the statistics. Still, the feeling wouldn't go away. He wished Roger was with him, but his friend had experienced a long, if pleasurable, night. Max had left him back at their suite at the Palace Hotel, to recover.

Max never noticed the white haired man at the bar, slouching over his drink to disguise his height. Hunt had taken his time getting around to taking care of Roger. He wanted to make sure that nothing that befell him could be connected to Kate or Richard. With the election over and Ware secure in her position, Hunt could operate with a degree of freedom. He owed a big favor to Rita for pretending to act the madam to secure the night's entertainment for Roger Aldis. Her operatives hadn't fully done the deed with the scumbag. Even with blue pills, he wasn't up to the task, but they had managed to amuse him enough to give them access to his drinks. The results would be slow, painful, and taken as the result of many years of subjecting his liver to too much alcohol. The man would never chase a woman around a desk or fill the airwaves with lies again - and he would live long enough to know it.

Guilford was another matter, his pride was in his purse, not his privates. Letting the races, which a hack of the system assured he would never conquer, sap his resources was satisfying. Hunt enjoyed watching it. But Guilford had investments all over the world. A bad run at the tracks, even a long one, wouldn't come close to wiping him out. Kate's pro-environmental activity would eventually reduce his fortune considerably, but media was where Guilford lived, and media was where he would be struck the most agonizing blow.

Hunt had started the process as soon as Guilford had launched his attack on Richard. Misinformation was slowly being leaked to Guilford's outlets in the U.K., Australia, and the United States about financial misdeeds of world finance players much bigger, though less visible, than Guilford. Hunt knew that Guilford would never resist indulging in a campaign to bring down those he viewed as rivals. But when he instructed his people to break the stories, the fallout would destroy him. All Hunt would have to do would be to sit back and watch. Kate and Richard would never be aware of the source of Guilford's fall, but Hunt was sure the dose of schadenfreude would be sweet on their tongues. Hunt watched Guilford wince. His camel had lost again. Guilford had no idea just how bad a losing streak he would have.

* * *

Jake and Reese were bouncing with excitement at the thought of taking a real train, when a cab dropped the Castles at Penn Station. The grandeur of the original structure was long gone, and the terminal seemed much like a shopping mall, with the concourse lined with vendors of fast food and tourist trinkets. The morning scents of coffee and Cinnabon filled the air. Fortunately, Castle had filled the twins and Lily with waffles, lending a level of immunity to the siren call of the station sweets.

Castle had purchased business class tickets for the whole family, although the younger members were almost lost in the leather loungers intended for much larger occupants. Jake and Reese both demanded window seats, eager to watch the scenery zip by once the train was underway. Lily had a pair of her headphones and a tablet loaded with music and movies, to shut out the rhythmic noise that would entrance her brothers. Rick and Kate availed themselves of the digital newspapers provided as part of the train service, accompanied their offspring on potty breaks, and provided age appropriate electronics to the twins when they lost their fascination with staring through their windows.

It was not yet noon when the Castle family arrived at their destination, and they took the opportunity to grab lunch at a family friendly restaurant near the station before being picked up by a real estate agent Castle had contacted, Mr. Poco. Gary Poco was a large jovial man who drove a hybrid SUV that easily accommodated both his wide frame, and the Castle family. Having been advised of the family's requirements beforehand, he had a list of potential properties ready. After a short comparison of the low price of homes in Albany versus New York City, Castle had decided that a purchase would make more sense than a rental, especially if Kate decided to serve several terms. If she didn't, he could always sell it or rent it out to another legislator. But owning a home would give him the freedom to set it up properly to accommodate the kids and make whatever upgrades would be necessary to keep his family comfortable. More concerned with her duties in Albany than handling the living arrangements, Kate was willing to leave that choice up to him, as long as she had equal approval of home they picked.

Poco was more than willing to help Rick and Kate find whatever would suit their needs. He informed them that many of the legislators chose condominiums for the ease of upkeep, but if they were determined to purchase a house, he could easily point them to whatever maintenance services they would require. He had carefully laid out a route to allow the family to explore the largest number of properties in the shortest period of time.

Most of the homes closest to the Capitol, were brick row houses. Many dated back to the 1800's and featured detached garages which had been converted from carriage houses. While Castle found the atmosphere stimulating for the creation of ghost stories and period pieces, the yards were small and unlikely to provide enough room to exhaust the twins' nearly endless supply of energy.

Poco suggested checking out the Pine Hills neighborhood, which would give Kate a straight shot to the Capitol by way of Route 20. The houses, built in the 1950's, were larger and had more extensive yards. He noted that it was one of the more expensive neighborhoods in Albany, but compared to New York City, still quite cheap. It was obvious that Castle didn't consider the price an obstacle, and neither did Kate. They both fell in love with a four bedroom home with a huge deck that wrapped around the house, a well manicured yard, and a gourmet kitchen. On being told the price, Castle muttered to himself, that one couldn't buy a closet in Manhattan for that. He and Kate told Poco that pending an inspection, they'd take it. Castle had made reservations at a hotel near a cluster of restaurants, and Poco dropped the family there before going off to draw up the paperwork.

After stowing their luggage in their suite, the Castles walked to a restaurant Reese and Jake had spotted. It was built to look like a pirate ship and displayed a Jolly Roger on the peak of the roof. Before agreeing on the twins' choice, Kate and Castle had checked the online menu to make sure that the food served would not mean a trip to the emergency room for the boys. Lily noted the sea shanty that was played on the website while her parents checked out the food, and suggested that she might get an idea for a pirate song.

The Castles were quickly ushered to a large table. Though silent with captions, anachronistic large screen TV's around the restaurant displayed newscasts. Kate observed with disgust that the one nearest their table was tuned to GBS. She was about to ask their server if the channel could be changed when Castle pointed to a crawl across the bottom of the screen noting that longtime manager of GBS, Roger Aldis, had taken seriously ill while on a business trip to Dubai. His longtime friend and owner of GBS, Max Guilford was said to be quite distraught. It continued that the whole GBS family would be sending Mr. Aldis and Mr. Guilford their thoughts and prayers.

"Looks like something finally caught up to those two, Castle," Kate remarked.

Castle shrugged and nodded slowly. "Sooner or later, sins often do."


	36. Chapter 36

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 36

The months between Kate's election and the assumption of her office were crammed full, made even more complicated by the holidays. For the first time, the Castles joined the Kasparov clan for Thanksgiving. Sarah and Timothy presided over a huge table, seating a crowd, including all of Sergei's siblings, Tatiana, Svetlana, Bob, George and Tom. Bob and Tom sat together, near the vegetarian items they had brought for themselves and to share. The menu had been slightly adjusted to accommodate the twins as well, with a stuffing crafted of rice instead of bread, and gluten free biscuits. Timothy said grace, in English and Russian, then Sarah prompted everyone present, with the exception of Bernard, to share something that they were grateful for, starting with her own prayer of thanks for her family.

Reese and Jake were grateful for choo choo trains and race cars, respectively. Kate was glad the election was over, and Castle that the inspection of the house in Albany had revealed no major pitfalls and that someone else would carve the turkey that year. Tantiana and Svetlana both announced new jobs. Bob and Tom were in the process of getting a vegetarian food truck up and running. George had secured a promotion. Sergei was pleased that a new lab supervisor was working out. Alexis shared her relief that with the safety renovations in place for Bernard at RCI, things were running smoothly. Everyone expected Lily to say something about music, but she just expressed her gratitude that her grandfather no longer needed a cane.

The dinner stretched into the late afternoon, with Bernard becoming droopy and the twins cranky. When the Castles returned home, Lily retreated to her room and the boys grudgingly agreed to a nap, provided Daddy read a Thanksgiving story with them, out their early reader. Finally Kate and Rick settled on the couch together with red wine, and pumpkin pie Sarah had sent home with them. Kate snuggled against Castle's side. "I'm so glad you were wiling to forgo tradition this year, Babe. It was great to see someone else doing all the work for a change. There's so much we have to get done in the next couple of months, I admit I'm feeling overwhelmed."

Castle's mouth dropped open, while the corners of his eyes crinkled merrily. "Kate Beckett overwhelmed? I will note this date on the calendar for posterity!"

"Seriously, Castle, we have a thirty day closing on the house in Albany. That puts it not long before Christmas. How are we going to have everything ready before I take office in January? It's not like we can just run up there. We don't even have any furniture for the house. Maybe I should just stay in a motel when I have to be there, at least until we can get everything set up."

"I think I may have it covered," Castle said, "That is, if you liked what was in the house when we saw it."

"It was beautiful, Castle. But don't the owners want to take their stuff with them wherever they're going?"

* * *

"That's just it, Kate. I've been talking to Howlands. They don't, at least not most of it. They've decided to retire to Belize. A great choice, really. Fun fact, it's cheap to live down there and they speak English. But to ship their stuff would cost a fortune. Plus, they're getting a much smaller place and a lot of it won't fit anyway. They were planning on auctioning most of it off, even dishes and small appliances. But they are willing to make us a deal for whatever we want to buy. That would make things easier all around. If you want, we could go up there and make a list. We don't have to take the kids. We could just charter a plane, fly to Albany as soon as we get them off to school and be back the same afternoon. We probably wouldn't even need a sitter for more than a couple of hours, if that. We could ask Sarah, or maybe even Alexis. Bernard and Reese are really starting to get close. They might enjoy a play date."

"Castle, that sounds almost too good to be true, but if we can make it work, that would be wonderful," Kate said.

* * *

Rick and Kate had to wait to make their trip. The hitch in their plan came out of the North. A polar vortex swept down from Canada and over a not yet frozen Lake Erie. Wet, lake effect snow, blanketed Albany, making air travel perilous or impossible. By the time the squalls had subsided and the roads and runways had been cleared, there was scant time before the Christmas break would begin at Latu's Trails. The upside was that with the holidays so close, there were fewer business trips and the demand for charter flights was lower. Castle was able to engage a pilot who could easily accommodate the timing he and Kate needed for the short hop to Albany and back.

The couple used their air time to pore over pictures the realtor had sent, figuring out just what they wanted, pending closer examination. When they arrived, Kate ran her hands over the upholstery on the furniture. "You know Castle, when we looked at this place, I thought it must have been staged, because the furniture is so clean. There aren't any stains from spilled food, or tread marks from toys. It looks like it was hardly used."

"That may be pretty close. Betty Howland told me that both her kids are grown. Their daughter decided to go into the foreign service and their son is a missionary, so they are both overseas. There aren't any grandchildren," Castle explained. "With just her and Buzz, they've lived mostly in the kitchen and the bedroom except when they've had guests. So I imagine that's how they've been able to keep most of the furniture so pristine."

Kate pushed her hair behind her ear in thought. "You know Babe, I never used to be able to picture myself living with children. When you insisted we take that baby home on the case where the lottery was rigged, I was pretty terrified. Even after that, I wasn't convinced I could manage being a mother. But now I can't imagine our house without kids in it, at least for more than a few hours. It's been hard making everything work, but I hate to think what our lives would be like without Lily and the boys. I'm glad you pushed for a house up here, so I could be with them as much as possible."

"My motives were not entirely unselfish," Castle confessed. "I wanted to be able to spend as much time as I could with my wife. We've tried the love at a distance thing before, and it sucked - big time."

"Castle, it's not just the kids. I want to be with you as much as possible too," Kate confided.

"So first on the list of things we are going to want to buy to our own specifications, beds for the kids and of course, our own?" Castle queried.

"Absolutely," Kate agreed.

"Good," Castle continued. "But let's go though the kitchen. I think I saw a programmable toaster in there I might want to hold onto, but we will definitely need a coffeemaker capable of producing the superior Castle blend."

"Babe, I wouldn't want any other kind."


	37. Chapter 37

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 37

Throwing beds into the mix of last minute Christmas shopping, the Castles were pleased to discover that sleeping facilities were not nearly as popular an item as the newest phone or smart streaming system. Letting his nimble fingers walk the keyboard first, Castle had uncovered a local showroom that could ship to Albany out of a centralized warehouse. With deep breaths and fingers crossed, he and Kate took all three kids with them. The boys fell in love with Deep Space Defender spaceship beds. Approaching the end of her princess phase, Lily was more interested in an enclosed bed with connection for her keyboard and other music systems, than in frilly canopies. While Kate was primarily concerned with comfort and space, Castle was entranced with the latest in sleep technology, taking the opportunity to check out the newest developments in control of firmness, angle, temperature, and massage. Keeping her voice low, to avoid little ears, Kate informed Castle that any massage taking place in their bed would have to be performed personally, but she was willing to compromise on the rest. The twins had only attempted to bounce on three beds by the time delivery dates were arranged, and Kate and Rick thankfully ushered their horde back to the Castle castle.

Rick had used the delay in his trip with Kate to Albany, to get the tree and the decorations up inside the house. Loathe to brave the weather to install the outside display, he accepted Kate's proposal to enlist professionals to construct one that would match his vision for that year. Lily had suggested something musical, and animatronic carolers filled the bill, with led lights disguised as Dickensian era street lamps creating a melding of past and present. A local TV station asked to do a puff piece on the extravagant tableau, but Kate had politely but insistently demurred, resisting any more complications to the Castle family holiday.

With the burden of all the preparations being made for the splitting of Kate's life between New York and Albany, Rick and Kate agreed to avoid parties. Lily did, however, have a concert the afternoon of Christmas Eve, with the Young People's orchestra. It would be attended by her parents, her grandparents, and her sister. Along with taking care of Bernard, Sergei had volunteered to watch the twins, who had pledged to behave, in anticipation of generous reward from Santa Claus. Following the concert, the plan was for a gathering at the Castle home for a dinner that had been mostly prepared ahead, and the distribution of presents acknowledged to have been provided by mortals. Exploration of Santa's bounty would take place with just Rick, Kate, Lily, and the twins, on Christmas morning.

Nothing went as planned for the Castles, or any of the other residents of the eastern United States. A blackout hit much of the seaboard and extended back through Pennsylvania and Ohio. Through what media channels remained, theories flew of terror attacks. First responders were put on high alert and citizens were urged to stay off the streets except in case of emergencies. Not only was Lily's concert canceled, Broadway was dark and most businesses were closed. In his enduring paranoia about a zombie apocalypse, Castle had made sure the Fieldston home had a whole house generator, but the city was at a standstill. Christmas Eve would be celebrated by Rick, Kate, and the children, within castle walls.

Eventually the news was spread by whatever media could function, that there was no terrorist connection to the blackout. Power lines at a substation in Ohio had been chewed through by squirrels, creating a cascading event through the grid. The alert level was lowered, but it was doubtful that power would be restored in time for Christmas.

Most of the houses that surrounded the Castle residence were dark. Rick and Kate took turns knocking on doors in the neighborhood telling people that if they needed emergency refrigeration, a shower, or a hot meal, they were welcome to seek it at the Castles' home. The natural reticence of New Yorkers made the Castles' neighbors hesitant to take them up on their offer, but as the darkness stretched on, the Castle house began to fill. Castle was grateful for a well stocked freezer, and with contributions and extra hands from neighbors, prepared large pots of chili, hearty soups, and stew, to feed people as they arrived. There were also a number of donations of Christmas cookies, chocolate Santas and candy canes. The washer and dryer were kept running to accommodate the volume of wet towels generated by the high traffic flow through the bathrooms.

As a substitute for her concert, Lily provided entertainment for the visitors, playing Christmas carols that she had learned for the performance. A flash choir formed around her spinet as some of the drop-ins began to sing along.

Conversation groups formed to tell stories of other Christmases that had gone awry. The tales lasted well into the night, long after the children had been firmly reminded that if they didn't go to bed, Santa could not make his deliveries. Castle was in his glory with tales of Christmas murders that he and Kate had solved.

Kate and Rick were finally left alone well after midnight, having assured their neighbors that if the power was still out the next day, and they needed anything, they could come back. The couple sank onto their bed together. "Castle, what did we say about keeping it simple and not having any parties this year?" Kate moaned.

"Kate, that was hardly a party," Castle countered. "We were rendering emergency aid and assistance - like the Red Cross, only with music and most likely a better grade of cookies."

"Yeah those chocolate dipped shortbread ones the Swensons brought were spectacular," Kate agreed.

"And if anyone has earned a visit from Santa, it is the Castle family," Rick continued. "When we wake up, the stockings will be full and there won't be an inch of space left under the tree."

Kate gasped. "Castle, as full as the house was, we haven't filled the stockings or put out most of the presents. Jake and Reese will be looking for their stuff the minute they open their eyes. I'm not sure if Lily really believes in Santa anymore, but she'll be looking for her share of the booty anyway. We need to get back out there."

"No rest - or anything else - for the weary," Castle sighed. "I'll get started. But you need to wait fifteen minutes before you come out. I need to get things out of my secret hiding place."

Kate rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips. "Okay Castle, I'll set the timer on my phone."

Castle hurriedly made his way to the basement to dig around in the bins marked summer clothes. He retrieved bags of presents for Lily and the twins, but also what he had hidden away for Kate. He took the time she'd be staying back, to fill her stocking first. He stuffed in a cashmere scarf and butter soft fur lined leather gloves, and one thing he'd had specially commissioned for her. Giving the matter a second thought, Castle retrieved the last item and slipped it into his pocket instead, before returning to their bedroom."

"You okay Babe?" Kate asked. "I thought you'd be doing your thing as Santa's elf."

"I was, and I will be," Castle replied. "But if the blackout continues, we may have a houseful tomorrow, and I wanted to give this to you in private. He pulled the velvet box out of his pocket and handed it to her." Kate opened it to see a finely wrought gold necklace bearing the image of a knight of a very feminine form, knocking a vane off a windmill with her lance. "Kate I want you to know how proud I am of you and your battles against the giants."

Kate had no words, but pressed her thoughts into a kiss.


	38. Chapter 38

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 38

On New Year's Day the city was just putting itself back together. Though they'd had power throughout the outage, the Castle family was doing the same. Kate was due take office in a week, on a Wednesday, and school would start again two days before that. The blackout had put preparations for everything behind. The house in Albany needed to be ready only for Kate, who would be there for the one day opening session, then return the following week for legislative activity, but the beds had yet to be delivered and the general paralysis had prevented some minor repairs from being done. Despite all that, Castle was determined to celebrate the day as the start of a new chapter in their lives. Lily was still disappointed at the cancellation of her concert, and the twins had begun to suffer the letdown that comes after the cornucopia of gifts is exhausted, but Castle was not about to let the spirit fade.

Ignoring the slight queasiness that accompanied the morning after splitting a bottle of champagne with Kate, he was determined to produce a mega brunch. Noting that it was time for a report from his favorite weatherman, he brought the broadcast up on his tablet while he worked in the kitchen, as Kate savored a double latte. Radar Savvy did not appear. Missy Lanahan was in his place. Her face was pale and she shifted nervously in front of the screen displaying the local temperatures. With a catch in her voice, Missy explained that Radar had disappeared on a trip to report on flooding caused by pump failures during the blackouts. She assured the audience that the police were making every attempt to find the missing forecaster and that the hopes and prayers of everyone at the station were for Radar's safe return.

Castle stopped whisking the waffle batter. "Kate, why would a weatherman disappear?" Castle wondered. "Do you think he's been kidnapped?"

Kate's forehead creased skeptically. "Castle who would want to kidnap a weatherman? What would be their motive?"

"I don't know," Castle replied. "I don't know much about the guy except that he has great hair, great teeth, wears corny costumes, and tells jokes with obscure pop culture references. After breakfast I'm going to see what else I can find out."

"Castle, I thought we were going to be celebrating today."

"We will," Castle assured her. "We'll have our New Year's morning feast. I'll bring my laptop into the living room. The kids can play or watch videos and you can get in a bubble bath, while I run a search. Then later we can all watch the Rose Parade on the big screen. There are supposed to be celebrities appearing on the floats by holographic projection this year. Very cool."

"Okay Babe, you had me at bubble bath."

* * *

Castle tried to find a comfortable position as he balanced his laptop across his thighs. The device wasn't heavy. Even with a screen large enough to accommodate the bigger fonts he'd lately preferred to use, it weighed less than two pounds. In some ways he longed for an older bulkier one. It would have felt more secure, but the resolution on the newer model was incredible, the battery life long enough that he didn't have to worry about plugging in, and there was enough RAM to support even more multitasking than he would attempt. He surveyed the Wikipedia page on Radar Savvy. There was a hefty paragraph of caveats at the beginning of the article, more than he often saw on entries about minor celebrities. That was curious. While the page listed Radar's vital statistics, education, and job history, there was little about his private life, other than the notation that he was divorced and had one daughter. It reminded Castle of his early years with Alexis. "I feel you Buddy," Castle muttered.

Castle scanned Radar's IMDB listing, which provided even less information, then started looking for postings concerning Radar, from his alma mater UCLA, the country's top school for meteorology, where he had been known as Thomas Jayne. Castle was surprised to find out that Radar had been a serious and highly awarded student, then had completely dropped from sight after graduation. He had resurfaced after a few years at a small television station in the Midwest, where he was reported to have been married to Marnie Roselle. At the time, the couple had a two year old daughter, Ruby. When Ruby was four, the couple divorced. Marnie moved to Alaska and Radar was awarded full custody of Ruby. Over the years, he'd steadily moved up in the broadcasting world, snagging jobs at larger and larger markets until securing a position in New York, where Ruby enrolled at Columbia. In each of his jobs, he projected the image of the vain buffoon who could deliver the most alarming news in the least upsetting way. His persona was far from the student his professors had honored. There would be no reason for anyone to want to kidnap the jocular clown who wore costumes he referred to as weather fronts, but the brilliant student who was nowhere to be found after graduation, was a completely different story. If Castle had been writing it, Radar might have been working at a military laboratory determining how exact predictions of weather conditions could support black ops. And then there was Marnie. Who abandons a husband and child to move to Alaska? Meredith had done it for the climate and opportunity of L.A., but Alaska? If Marnie had been involved in covert operations as well, maybe she was monitoring the Russians. Then again, maybe she liked shooting moose out of helicopters, like Sarah Palin. The two ideas were equally improbable."

Kate slipped onto the couch beside him, warm, glowing, with the scent of cherries wafting from her skin. "You called it, Babe, those bubbles were more of a celebration than the ones we drank last night. Satisfy your curiosity about Radar Savvy?"

Castle sighed. "If anything, just the reverse. The man makes no sense, Kate. His disappearance makes no sense either, except that I'm convinced the circumstances are anything but mundane. If I could be dragged off for some secret government mission, so could he."

"Castle, you're kidding right? The guy who comes out in a sun costume, like a preschooler? Where would the mission be, in kindergarten?" Kate regarded the deepening creases that bracketed her husband's mouth. "You're not kidding, are you? You really think the weatherman is in the middle of some dark conspiracy."

Castle shrugged. "Honestly I don't know, Kate. But my Spidey sense is tingling. I'm going to make a couple of calls. Spooks don't pay much attention to holidays."

"But you do," Kate reminded him. "Remember? Family celebration? Rose Parade? Maybe you could use a long soak in a hot tub too." She massaged his shoulders. "I can feel your muscles knotting under my fingers. Even if Radar has been the victim of foul play or a government plot, it's not your problem. You've never even met the man, you just watch him on TV."

"Somehow I feel I know him, or at least I sympathize with him. I am going to make those calls," Castle decided. "Then I'll take a nice long muscle unfurling shower, make my seven layer dip, and join you and our brilliant offspring to look at all the pretty flowers. With any luck, the horses will poop on the parade route like they did last year and Jake and Reese will have a couple of hours laughing at horse potty jokes."

"Good Castle, but can you cancel the dip in favor of those great little barbecue skewers?" Kate requested. "There are fewer consequences."

Castle unconsciously brushed back a lock of hair that had fallen across his forehead, as he'd bent over the keyboard. "Barbecue skewers it is. I'm all for minimizing consequences."


	39. Chapter 39

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 39

Castle's cell buzzed at two A.M.. Instantly awake, he reached for it anxiously. There was no mistaking the anger in Agent Letscher's voice. "You never stop, do you Castle? Always poking the hornets' nest."

"And how could I possibly know there was a hornets' nest?" Castle retorted. "All I did was inquire into the disappearance of my favorite forecaster. For all I knew, he could have found some cozy nest with an eager anchor woman. I just posed a question, and not even to you. It's not like I have your number. I called Danberg. We've worked together before, and very successfully - but then you know that."

"Castle, I am telling you to leave anything about Radar Savvy alone." Letscher insisted.

"Can you just tell me if he's all right, and preferably if the world is all right?" Castle asked.

"I'm sorry," Letscher answered grimly. "I can't tell you anything." The cell beeped that the call had ended.

A roused Kate touched her husband's arm. "What's going on Babe?"

"I don't know," Castle responded, "but I'm pretty sure it's not good."

* * *

Radar Savvy rubbed his eyes, willing his vision to clear. There wasn't much to see. He lay on a cot in a room with bare walls, unbroken by anything except the camera that was focused on him. The atmosphere screamed government covert facility. He wondered if it would even be worth trying the door. He didn't have to. A bearded man with a stormy expression came through it."You're awake."

"What do you want with me?" Radar demanded. "I left government work years ago. I made it very clear that I wasn't coming back."

"Thomas, or should I call you Radar?" Beard began.

"Radar, will be fine. I left Thomas behind me too. And you are?" Radar asked.

"Letscher. Radar, you know that you can never really leave. Your wife didn't."

"Ex-wife," Radar corrected. "And she left alright, both me and our daughter. If you have a mission in our specialty, I'm sure she could oblige."

"She's already on it," Letscher informed him. "She's the one who said we needed you."

"And where do you come into it?" Radar queried.

"You can consider me a sheepdog," Letscher replied. "I find sheep like you that have wandered, and herd, or if necessary drag, them back into the fold. But I'm not the one who will be in charge of your mission."

"Dr. Freeburg?" Radar guessed.

"Got it in one." Letscher confirmed.

* * *

"We should go up to the Albany house," Castle declared. "All of us."

"Why Castle?" Kate asked. "I'm only due for one day in Albany next Wednesday and the kids start school on Monday. I thought I'd just be taking a quick trip up there by myself and coming right back."

"Three reasons," Castle explained. "First, the beds are being delivered tomorrow, and we should make sure they're in place and our junior astronauts aren't going to fall out of their spaceships. Second, there is a handyman coming in to work on the plumbing in the second bathroom, and that door that doesn't close properly. And third and most important, there is a major storm sweeping in around the time you would be zipping up there. You could have major troubles getting in and out. So the kids and I should spend as much time with you as we can. Then I'll bring them back for school. You can attend to your official duties and return to us as soon as conditions permit, but you'll be comfortable as long as you have to be there. Oh, and there's a fourth. The boys have been asking for another choo choo train trip anyway. I can rent a car for while we're there. They have boosters."

"I see your point, or points, Castle. Even as crazy as the weather has been getting, it seems like there have been a lot of storms lately, doesn't it?" Kate observed.

"Mm," Castle mused thoughtfully. "It does."

* * *

Dr. Carl Freeburg greeted Radar with a warm handshake. "Thomas, it is good to see you."

Marnie tentatively embraced her ex. "You've settled into Radar now, haven't you? Ruby is using Savvy as her last name."

Radar stiffened at her touch."And why wouldn't she?" he asked. "She hardly remembers the name Jayne, or you, for that matter. She just knows her father as the guy who is funny on TV. Better that way isn't it? And since when did you care? Now she thinks her father is missing. She's probably afraid I was washed away in flooding or something, and I have no way to let her know otherwise. It's cruel Marnie. What you did then and what you and the company are doing now is cruel."

"You're right - Radar," Marnie conceded. "But we have no choice. Ruby's safety and that of everyone else in the country is at stake. "You knew that I was going to continue our work, monitoring weather conditions, making precise predictions on the impact of our ops. Well now the problem is much larger. As the energy has continued to build in the atmosphere, conditions are getting much more severe."

Radar snorted. "You're not telling me anything I don't know. I do still predict the weather."

"And behind the costumed clown, you still do it better than anyone. That's why we need you," Marnie explained. "We have solid intel that a terrorist group, _Aiqtiham_ , one of Isis' ugly stepchildren, is preparing to use their own predictions to provide cover for terrorist attacks. They have cells in multiple locations and can make a move almost anywhere. That's why we need you. You have always been the best, the most intuitive, of all of us in knowing the path a system will take and with how much force. We're trying to save lives here, a lot of them."

Breath hissed in exasperation between Radar's lips. "You could have told me that; asked me to help. It was not necessary to send the company dog to fetch."

"That wasn't Marnie's decision, it was mine," Freeburg inserted. "And quite honestly, after the way you left, I wasn't sure you'd agree to help us."

* * *

The Castles climbed out of the rental car Castle had arranged to have provided at the train station. Lily and the twins sped ahead, eager to re-explore the house they'd seen briefly. They bounced impatiently while Castle punched in the entrance code, and ran inside as soon as the door was open.

"When are the beds coming?" Kate asked.

Castle consulted his watch. "The delivery window starts in about an hour. We can unload the luggage, Lily's keyboard, the toys, and the groceries and start making lunch. Since we kept the home theater system, the boys should be distracted long enough. I entered our subscription info last time we were here."

Kate bumped him with her hip."I hope you remembered the parental controls. We don't need them getting into your porn."

"Their innocent eyes will view only 'G-rated' offerings," Castle assured her. "But Kate, those movies are not porn, they are marital aids. I drew some very important information from _The Further Adventures of Emperor Wang_. There was a position in there even you didn't know about."

Kate winked. "I wouldn't put money on that, Babe."

Castle loosened his collar. "Is it hot in here? I hope the delivery guy doesn't get lost. I'm definitely looking forward to christening our bed tonight."

A/N To the best of my knowledge there is no such terrorist group as _Aiqtiham_. It is the Arabic word for storm.


	40. Chapter 40

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 40

Kate reluctantly dropped Castle and the kids at the train station before driving back to the Albany house. She would have liked to go back to New York City with them for the two days before she officially took office, but Castle had been right about the weather. A huge system was moving across the country. It had already created blizzard conditions in several states and was showing no signs of weakening. If anything, it was building in strength, with every successive measurement of snowfall being larger than the last, as the mass of frigid air moved east. Monday and Tuesday a thick layer of white would descend on Albany, enhanced by the moisture from the lake. The snow was due to subside on Wednesday. Travel between the house and the Capitol would be possible, especially in the all wheel drive vehicle Castle had insisted upon renting, and left with Kate. The decision to stay in Albany until then had been sensible, but with the departure of her children, the house would be too silent. And despite a new high efficiency furnace, in the absence of her husband, the bed would be cold.

Fingering the golden knight which hung around her neck, she reminded herself that this what what she'd wanted, what she'd worked for, the chance to do more good. Resolved not to wallow in the sudden loneliness that descended over her, Kate decided to review each and every line of the legislation she was pushing. It would be at least another week until aside from networking, she could do anything about its passage, but she wanted every talking point on the tip of her tongue. The mass of legalese was longer than some of Castle's novels. It would serve as a welcome distraction.

* * *

Castle was hardly the only one who'd kept apprised of the impending weather. There were no empty seats on the train to New York, even in business class. He did his best to keep his children quiet. Lily, immersed in the music from her headphones, was easy. She also had a piano function on her tablet to keep her occupied, and a program to record any composition that sprang from her fertile fingers.

The boys were more problematical. For this trip there was only one window seat available and Castle was serving as referee for turn taking. The loser had a choice of a variety of games, as well as a coloring book and puzzles, but the whiny fours had chosen that journey to fully manifest themselves. By the time the Castle family made it to the Fieldston house, Rick was wrung out and craving a couple of fingers of scotch. He put his craving aside, to raise young spirits by raising blood sugar levels with a quickly thrown together meal.

The only advantage to the twins' behavior was that it exhausted not only Rick, but the boys as well. By early evening, a bedtime story was capable of easing them into slumber. Lily would be awake for another hour or two, but after supper she had retreated to the quietude of her room. When she wanted her own bedtime story, she would let her daddy know. She might even fall asleep trying to craft some new melody in her head. She'd done it before. This was the kind of night that Rick would have really enjoyed twirling his wife around the floor, but if he danced that evening, it would be with empty arms. He didn't know why Kate's absence was so disturbing. They'd spent plenty of nights apart over the years. They were often made up for in spades by the sweetness of their reunion. But somehow this night seemed different. Maybe it was the steady fall in barometric pressure. Except as heralds of a white Christmas, he always found masses of gathering clouds depressing.

* * *

Radar Savvy studied the radar outputs displayed on the bank of screens in front of him and examined the data from the satellites. Little more than a decade ago he would have pronounced the burying of the Northeast in white, the storm of the century. Now it was more like the storm of the season. Frighteningly soon, its like might be regarded as the storm of the month, but he had to keep his mind on the present. He fed every available piece of data into the algorithm he had written to predict the areas where the impact of the storm would be the worst. Its progress across the country had slowed, pushing his prediction of the heaviest accumulations to a day later in the week. He now expected the maximum of both snow and ice on Wednesday. He overlaid the results of his calculations on a map of potential terrorist targets. There were three that could be attacked almost simultaneously with devastating results: an oil refinery, a nuclear plant, and the Capitol in downtown Albany, where new legislators would be sworn in, in full session. If the nuclear plant was attacked, the effects could reach Ruby at Columbia. His stomach clenched as fear for his daughter threatened to overwhelm him. But if the total nightmare scenario came to pass and all three targets were attacked, he couldn't begin to wrap his mind around the resulting havoc and destruction. He wiped the sweat that had formed on his palms, on the fabric of his pants. Taking a deep breath, and then another, he went to present his conclusions to Carl Freeburg.

* * *

Even with Kate's all wheel drive vehicle, making it the few miles to Capitol was nerve wracking. She had expected to hear that the session would be postponed, but some glitch in the rules failed to allow for that eventuality. This was Albany. They were used to snow. They were prepared for it. The plows were expected to do their jobs, especially along well traveled routes like the one Kate was on. It was obvious that the snow removal workers were trying hard. Huge mounds of snow lined the roadway and the presence of both salt and sand was apparent everywhere. Still, the drivers of the heavy bladed machines couldn't keep up, and the glaze of ice that had formed over residual snow didn't help matters any. But Kate was not to be defeated. Even if it was inch by inch, she would make it to her goal and take her place in the State Senate. Nothing else was acceptable.

* * *

CIA squads, along with military support, had been dispatched to the predicted targets. The largest group of defenders was sent to the nuclear plant that lay along the Hudson River in Westchester County, only thirty-six miles north of midtown Manhattan. Of the three targets, it had by far the least snow, but represented the highest level of danger. Regularly protested over the years for repeated leakage, there were known weak spots that could be exploited. A release of radiation, even just into groundwater, would eventually find its way into the river where it could spread unchecked. With access by both land and water, the installation would be the most difficult target to defend.

The oil refinery was almost as dangerous as the nuclear plant. It utilized hydrofluoric acid to increase the octane of the gasoline. The deadly chemical, capable of dissolving rock and almost anything else, could endanger thousands of people, possibly more, if spread by an explosion.

The State Capitol was last on the list. While an attack there could kill hundreds and throw the state government into chaos, their would be no fallout to be disseminated to a wider area. A protective squad was sent, but it was the smallest of the three. To avoid the panic that might be caused by leaks of information, only the Sergeant At Arms had been informed of the impending threat. In his mind, terrorists were dessert Arabs. He couldn't see them braving a blizzard to attack. Still he put what people he had available on general alert. His force was not large, and the arrivals of some officers in it had been stopped or slowed by the weather.

Kate found a place as close as she could to her destination to leave her car, and trudged into the Capitol Building.


	41. Chapter 41

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 41

A/N A reminder that the story is now in January of 2025. You'll see why.

Junayd bin Ibrahim gazed through his binoculars at the woman stomping up the steps to the Capitol. Her heavy coat didn't quite disguise her lithe figure. It was Kate Beckett, one of the new Senators scheduled to be installed that day. She wasn't the first to arrive, but he doubted that she would be the last. Most of the denizens of the area defied snow and cold weather. Having grown up in Duluth, he could understand that, and respected it. It would also make the impact of his mission that much greater. That would serve as comfort to some of his fellow warriors he would have preferred the stifling heat of mounds of sand to the frigidity of mounds of snow. They shivered as they waited for the building to become as target rich as possible. Then they would move in, blowing wide their path if necessary. They would send video of the assembly of political puppets out to the world, before razing the building and all around it to the ground. Combined with the attacks of Junayd's brethren, the strength of Aiqtiham would strike fear in every soul who beheld the images of destruction. Care had been taken that those images would be many.

From his van well hidden behind a snowbank, Brookings Meyer surveyed the infrared satellite images. He could clearly see his men. He could also see the strike force he assumed to be soldiers of Aiqtiham. They were no greater in number than his team, but he had no idea what their armaments might be. He needed better intelligence. He considered sending in a man for recon, but motion in the snow, even in a white out suit, would be slow and clumsy enough to spotted. A mini-drone would make much more sense. The wind could be an issue, but the drones were streamlined and no bigger than bumblebees. There would be very little surface to catch the force of the storm driven air. The wail of the gusts would also disguise the quiet buzz of the engine. He turned the job over to his best pilot, Gopher Johnson.

Gopher quickly had the tiny robot airborne, scanning with both visible light and infrared sensors as well as chemical sniffers. Brookings could see all the readouts. The sniffers were particularly informative. The terrorists had explosives, lots of them. He couldn't afford to let them get any closer to the building. He sent a code red to the Sergeant at Arms to gather everyone inside the building in the most protected area possible, and instructed Gopher to move to stage two.

* * *

The moment Kate saw the expression on the face of the Sergeant at Arms, she knew the situation was serious. She and the other legislators were instructed to proceed to the underground tunnels that connected the Capitol to the Central plaza, where the small security force could best hold off an an attack. Kate had kept up her skills on the firing range, but for the sake of the safety of her children, had long abandoned carrying a gun as a matter of routine. At that moment her hands felt empty with no pistol. Identifying herself as a former N.Y.P.D., she attempted to get an officer to tell her what was going on. She quickly came to the conclusion that the security force knew little, and would communicate even less. They were just determined to maintain calm. At that moment, Kate decided that the most useful thing she could do would be to spread that calm to fellow legislators who were much less experienced with threatening situations than she was. Lowering the pitch of her voice to the range she'd used to give comfort to the families of homicide victims, she began to murmur words of reassurance.

* * *

Gopher prepared to launch his fleet. Rather than individually controlled, the tiny robots were specifically tuned heat seekers. They would target humans and deliver tranquilizing darts, unless deflected by the transponders all the squad members wore. The attackers could then be captured for debriefing.

* * *

"What's the matter, Daddy?" Lily asked as Rick stared at his phone.

"Nothing Sweetie," he replied. "I just wanted to call Mama to wish her good luck this morning, but the call went to voice mail. The cell towers could be down because of the storm or she might have to turn her phone off when she's doing her senator thing. I'll call her later."

"Tell her I wrote a senator song," Lily requested. "I'll play it for her when she gets home. Mama will be coming home tomorrow, won't she?"

"Sometimes with big storms the snow blocks the roads and even the train tracks," Castle explained, "but I'm sure she'll do her best."

Lily poked at her eggs. "I miss her. So do Reese and Jake."

Castle stroked his daughter's dark hair. "Yeah, so do I."

* * *

The drones flew almost according to plan. Two Aiqtiham soldiers were so wrapped up in heavy clothing that the drones had nowhere to deliver their payload. Those men rushed toward the Capitol with explosives, determined to inflict as much damage as they could. Meyer immediately ordered his people after them. Closer to the building, the terrorists had a head start. They ran up the stone steps, salted but still slippery. One fell. As Meyer's troops moved in, he activated a detonator, taking himself and his fellow fighter out, and leaving a crater that reached well into the ground.

The walls of the tunnels shimmied as the force of the bomb knocked the occupants to the hard and cold floor. Kate was stunned and her ears rang. Getting slowly to all fours, she looked around. The lights on the tunnel walls were out. She activated the light on her phone. The tunnel was filled with dust, and she stifled a cough, but the people around her were moving. Crawling from one to another, she began to check the other legislators for serious injuries, as a rescue squad rushed in.

* * *

It was late morning and Castle was restless. After getting the kids off to school, he'd written a couple of pages, but his mind kept wandering. He'd really hoped to hear from Kate, but she hadn't returned his calls. The mystery of Radar Savvy still niggled at him too. A weather forecaster goes missing before a major weather event, and stays missing? The warning from Letscher had merely served to reinforce Castle's belief that there was some sort of conspiracy, but barring the plot about a super villain controlling the weather, that even he found too unlikely, he had no idea what it might be. He thought about having another cup of coffee, but caffeine would only make the mice in his head run faster. It was way too early to think about alcohol.

He'd decided on the tried and true potion of hot chocolate with extra marshmallows, when the screen of his cell finally showed Kate's beautiful face. Her voice sounded scratchy, as if there was something in her throat. "I'm sorry Babe. I wanted to call sooner. Things have been happening here, but I'm not sure just how much the powers that be are willing to release. Try turning on the news."

"Since when does a State Legislature swearing in ceremony make the news?" Castle demanded. "Kate, what happened?"

Kate coughed. "Castle, just turn on ZNN or something, and then we can talk."


	42. Chapter 42

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 42

Castle switched on his big screen, and ZNN sprang to life, with reporter Daisy Woo doing a standup in Albany. Behind her was the Capitol building, the ruined steps and cratered ground clearly visible. "...believed to be part of a coordinated terrorist action producing simultaneous attacks on not just the Capitol building but Nuclear Plant, Indian Point Three, and Pilcher Refining. At this point, intelligence agencies are withholding comment except to say that the attacks were suspected, and that forces were in place to prevent them and capture the perpetrators." She waved at the building. "Obviously this one was not prevented, but although there have been reports of some injuries among the legislators and their staffs, the only reported deaths were of two terrorists who set off the explosion."

"Oh My God, Kate, a terrorist attack! Are you all right? Why are you coughing?"

"I'm fine. I just got some dust in my lungs, like you did, when that bank you were hostage in blew up."

"I'd feel better if our own doctor confirmed that," Castle declared. "Are you coming home?"

"Can't, Babe. We were all herded into the tunnels beneath the building before the swearing in could take place. I'm not officially in office yet. The Army Core of Engineers is being brought in to survey the building to make sure it's safe. The legislature can't meet there until that's finished. We have to find another place to conduct business, one they can put security around in case there's another attack. So it may be another day or two."

Castle grunted. "I don't like it Kate. The kids miss you and so do I. What am I supposed to tell them, that Mama can't come home because the building she's supposed to work in got blown up by terrorists? They'll be scared to death."

Risk's ears were assaulted by another fit of coughing. "Castle, I know that fertile imagination of yours will come up with something. Look, if it will make you feel better, I'll go to the hospital and get checked out. There's nothing else I can do about the situation right now anyway. I'll stay in touch, okay?"

"Kate, don't worry about making me feeling better. Just take care of yourself. I'll find a way to tell the kids. It will have to be the truth," Castle realized. "They'll find out anyway unless I hide them in a cave somewhere. I'll just soften it into another Mama winning against the bad guys story."

"Alright Babe. Kiss them and tell them I love them. Love you too."

"Love you," Castle returned.

* * *

Kate fidgeted in the patient's waiting area. The doctor who had examined her had insisted on an MRI and she had to wait for a radiologist to interpret it. She couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. When Castle had been in an explosion, the paramedics gave him a little oxygen and he was fine. Two doctors approached her, one, Dr. Stephen Karris, who had previously examined her, and another whose I.D. read Alan Lieb. "Ms. Beckett," Karris began. "The reason that we were so concerned with the dust in your lungs, is that the Capitol building is made of granite, which tends to have some uranium contamination. That's not particularly dangerous, unless you get it into your lungs, where alpha particles can wreak havoc. Fortunately your lungs appear to be clearing, but we detected another problem that Dr. Lieb will explain."

"You've had heart heart surgery, yes?" Lieb inquired.

Kate's chest tightened at the question. "I was shot. I was told the bullet nicked the left ventricle. It was repaired."

"Yes, the repair is still intact. But your surgeon cut through the pericardium, the sack that surrounds your heart, to accomplish it. Over time scar tissue has been developing on the pericardium, stiffening it. As a result, your heart is not operating as efficiently as it might be. It will still sustain most activity quite nicely. But you'll have to be aware that when you are stressed, you may feel the effects. As the years pass, more scar tissue may accumulate. You may require medication. I would advise you to have a full evaluation by a cardiologist as soon as possible. As I understand it, you live in New York City. I can recommend several excellent ones there, if you would like."

Kate could barely nod. "Good," Lieb agreed. "I'll have the referrals ready for you with the rest of your paperwork. Ms. Beckett, patients live long and fruitful lives with much more damage than this. You just need to be aware, and take care of yourself."

It's was a mocking echo of what Castle had urged. Kate nodded again as the doctors walked off. She sat, unable to move. Josh had said she was fine, that she would be fine. But Bracken was having the last laugh from the grave. First, his partner had nearly killed both her and Castle, and now, as Gates had described her mother's death, it was "the gift that keeps on giving." The late Senator's hands were still around her heart, squeezing it. Castle had worried about telling the kids about the explosion. How could she tell him about this? It would have been so much easier if he had just been there to hear it. While he moaned at a paper cut, when the situation got serious, he was a rock, her rock. He had been, from the time with just a champagne bottle, he'd defeated an armed killer. She'd just have to figure out how to get the words out. Right now she couldn't get any words out at all.

* * *

Castle consulted his watch for the fourth time. Kate should have called. He knew phones were supposed to be turned off in some parts of some hospitals. But it had been hours since she'd told him she was going. It shouldn't have taken this long. Her voice mail was full, probably from reporters wanting a statement. She hadn't answered his texts. He decided to try the archaic land line they'd kept at the Albany house, as a defense against cell tower failure. He was the only one that had the number.

Kate heard the phone ring just as she was coming in the door. It had to be Castle. The longer she waited to tell him, the harder it would be, and the angrier he'd be at her for waiting. Drawing a breath, she picked up the receiver.

* * *

Castle put down his phone and opened his laptop. It was fine for some doctor in Albany to give referrals, but he could do better. He would research every damn cardiologist in New York, in the whole world if he had to. He knew Josh Davidson's name would come up. The biker doctor had garnered more than his share of kudos over the years, as a pioneering humanitarian. Fuck him! Well that was the problem wasn't it? Kate had. She'd fucked Josh and Josh had obviously screwed her. The affair was long past but it had left its mark. Castle banged his fist against his desk, rattling the pens that sat in the storm-trooper helmet mug. His anger wasn't helping. He brought up a list of the highest ranked cardiologists and began working his way through it. Fortunately, some of the best were in the city. He would get Kate to one of them as soon as he could.


	43. Chapter 43

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 43

A/N Guest: My use of the word "affair" was not meant to imply that Kate had cheated on Castle with Josh. The definition of "affair" does not require cheating - depending on the dictionary. I think we will recall though, that in L.A., she came very close to cheating on Josh with Castle.

* * *

The State Senate made use of Albany City Hall for the installation of the members of the new session, including Kate. She wanted to remember the ceremony, and did her best to keep her mind on it, but her thoughts wandered. She had always been proud of her physicality, her ability to best larger and stronger opponents. In recent years her strength was turned more to being able to easily herd and pick up her children. She had coped with weakness borne of recovering from wounds or illness, but she had always known those situations would be temporary. This was different. Maybe it was nothing. She felt fine now. Doctors tended to be over cautious. Dr. Lieb probably was. As soon as she returned to the city, she would get a second opinion, or if necessary, a third and fourth one. Unconsciously, she stroked the knight at her neck. She would not meet defeat at Bracken's hands - ever.

* * *

Lily ran to embrace her mother, with Reese and Jake only a step behind. Crouching, Kate drew her children to her. Lily nestled into her mother's shoulder. "We missed you Mama. Daddy told us about the bad guys."

"I missed you too, all of you. But the bad guys are gone and we'll have all weekend together."

She stood as Castle came into the room, melting into the circle of his arms. He whispered into her ear. "Everything will be fine. I called in a favor from one of my buddies funding a new cardiac care unit. You'll be seeing the best man in the city, on Monday."

"How about the best woman?" Kate quipped.

Castle pulled her close. "I'm holding her."

* * *

Other than his gender, Dr. Mayhew in no way reminded Castle of Josh. He was five eight in thick soled shoes, with white temples that matched the white salting his eyebrows. Castle had paced the waiting room for three hours while Mayhew examined Kate and put her through a stress test. Finally, Castle was invited into Mayhew's office to sit with his wife. Their fingers were firmly entwined.

Mayhew consulted his tablet. "For the most part, I have good news. Kate's vitals are good. I see no evidence of obstruction. I don't see any limitation on normal activities. However, the stress test was sub-optimal for a woman of Kate's age and history of fitness."

"What exactly does sub-optimal mean?" Castle demanded.

"It means that Kate will not be running any marathons and that she may significantly tire with extended physical activity. Kate, I believe you've been informed that your condition may worsen, but it may not. In fact we have new treatments for the prevention of scarring, and we might even be able to ablate some of what's already taken place."

"That's great!" Kate exclaimed.

Castle clasped his wife's hand even more tightly. "Dr. Mayhew, are there risks associated with those procedures?"

"Of course there are always risks," Mayhew replied calmly. "One is that Kate may be allergic to the drugs we use to reduce scarring, but we can test for that ahead of time. Another is that the ablation may produce further scarring. There is also a chance that the scarring will return and the procedure will have to be repeated. Kate, the risks will be fully outlined for you and Rick in writing, before you make a decision as to whether to opt for treatment. I would emphasize that right now you can live what most people would consider a normal life, we'll just be monitoring you. But these procedures stand a good chance of preventing any further decline and even expanding your capabilities. I will provide you with your test results and your options, and you can let me know what you decide."

* * *

Castle's knuckles whitened on the steering wheel to as he drove to the Fieldston house. "Kate, you don't have to decide right now. We can get you more opinions."

"Castle, I know. But I've always been …."

"Strong?" Castle finished. "Kate, you've always had a truly magnificent body and no one has appreciated it more than I have. But your strength doesn't lie in the muscle of your physical heart or any of your other muscles. The woman I love has a fire that can't be quenched. That isn't going to change. You know I'll support you whatever you decide, but you weren't planning on any marathons anyway, except maybe for marathon legislative sessions. Running is Espo's thing and we will continue to cheer him on. You have no need to join him. Just don't jump into anything."

"Babe, I wouldn't have time to jump into anything if I wanted to. The legislative session starts tomorrow. So I'm going to spend tonight with you and the kids before I catch the early train in the morning. I'll be back Friday and we can talk about it then."

"Fine, Castle agreed. "We're still going to have couple of hours before Lily and the boys are back from school. What would you like to do to fill them?"

"Maybe we can find some really stupid movie on TV, forget about everything else, and just heckle for a while," Kate proposed.

Castle grinned. "I'll make the popcorn."

* * *

The aroma from the large bowl Castle had placed on the coffee table wafted enticingly to Kate as she flipped through channels looking for something suitably inane. "Wait!" Castle exclaimed as the images flashed over the screen.

"Oh no Castle, not the news!" Kate protested.

"Kate, they were saying something about Radar Savvy. I want to know what happened him."

"So do I," Kate conceded. "I have missed his smiling face - a little."

"We're so happy to have you back with us," the anchorwoman gushed. "Radar, first of all, how are you?"

"I'm fine, Holly," Radar replied. "I was a bit battered, but nothing that won't soon be right as rain."

"Can you tell us what happened?" Holly prompted.

"Some of the details are still fuzzy," Radar confessed, "but I'll do the best I can. As some of my watchers might remember, I was reporting on flooding caused by snow melt. As best as I can figure out, the water undermined the ground where I was standing, and I fell into a stream that was overflowing it's banks. I'm not sure if I hit my head or passed out from breathing water, but the next thing I knew, I was in some woods and someone was giving me CPR. I was soaking wet and freezing and I had lost my phone somehow. The people in the woods, Tucker and Dale, took me to a cabin. It was pretty primitive, with no running water, and off the grid. But they built a fire and piled blankets on me until I was warm. They fed me too, some kind of stew." Radar's nose wrinkled in disgust. "I don't even want to think about what was in it, but it kept me going. It took me a few days to really come to my senses, but after that, they told me which way to hike through the woods to get to a road. A shout out to Ralph Hinckley, who picked me up in his car, let me use his phone to call my daughter, and brought me back to the city. And here I am, back to give you the lowdown on all the weather slowdowns."

"Well Radar, that was quite a story," Holly commented.

Castle snorted. "Quite a story," Castle repeated. "I wrote better ones than that when I was eleven. It's worse than the CIA did when they tried to make it look like I skipped out on our wedding and went camping. I really ought to offer the agency my creative services for better cover stories."

"Castle, do you really still think Radar's disappearance was some CIA conspiracy?" Kate queried skeptically.

A weatherman disappears and the CIA swoops in to intercept terrorists attacking under the cover of weather. Then suddenly the weatherman reappears with a story of some mysterious cabin in the woods? Kate I'm sure of it. If I were still writing Derrick Storms, I might use it as a plot for a book."

"Castle, if Radar really was part of a CIA operation, it's probably better for him that you won't. Anyway, now we both need distraction more than ever. Look, _Plan Nine from Outer Space!_ Can't get much stupider than that."

Castle reached for a handful of popcorn and nodded approvingly at the opening credits. "Our stupid movie it is. A jeer-worthy flick for a trying afternoon."

* * *

A/N _Plan Nine from Outer Space_ was dubbed by critic Michael Medved, "The worst movie ever made." It received two golden turkey awards, one for worst director, and one for worst movie.


	44. Chapter 44

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 44

Kate used her time on the train to peruse the news. Max Guilford was all over it. A number of stories which proved to be false had come out of his outlets. As far as Kate was concerned, that fell into the "Dog Bites Man," category. It wasn't news. But this time, Guilford appeared to have stepped on the wrong toes, those of the rich and powerful, even more so than he. As a result, he was involved in litigation around the globe, which threatened to bring down his empire. "Couldn't happen to a nicer guy," Kate muttered.

With his usual fervor, Castle couldn't keep himself from plowing full tilt into research about her condition. He'd printed out a number of papers for her to look at on her journey. She wasn't sure she wanted to explore all the gory details, but as he had gently pointed out, she had the luxury of being able to make an informed decision, so she should avail herself of the opportunity. Most of the papers were recent, detailing techniques that had not yet been developed when she was shot. She could understand why some of them would appeal to Castle. They employed robotically controlled lasers and other high tech devices. The nanoparticle delivery of targeted pharmaceuticals would have caught his geeky interest as well. Whatever methods were employed, Kate was most interested in outcomes. Most of them looked good - enough to satisfy the FDA anyway. But the FDA had been wrong before, sometimes having to withdraw medications and devices from the market after they'd been in wide usage. Her father had been involved in a couple of related class action suits. She searched through the figures in the papers for failures. They had run at about ten percent. There had been a few deaths attributed to complications, including software bugs which were reported to have been since corrected. The butterflies banged against the walls of Kate's stomach at the mention of software glitches. She'd had too many experiences in which problems that were supposed to have been fixed, were actually made worse. She felt a lurch as the train pulled into the station. There was no more time to worry about her personal problems. She'd pick up the car she'd left parked at a nearby lot, and go to work on the troubles of her constituents.

Kate didn't get much of a chance. She spent most of the day listening to committee reports, and when legislation came to the floor, it was a minor adjustment to the budget, sponsored by a senior member. Frustrated, she returned to the Castles' Albany house and Skyped Castle. Lily and the twins were eager to get in on the conversation, regaling her with their day at school. Jake had the inevitable poop story about Larry Nussbaum, who was so intent on working on a cotton ball snowman, he didn't make it to the potty in time. Lily wrinkled her nose, but Reese joined his brother in raucous laughter about brown snow. It washed over Kate, more warming than any bubble bath. She reluctantly ended the call when Castle reported that the timer on his phone had alerted him that dinner was ready to come out of the oven, and chicken fingers and potato wedges were about to make an appearance. It had all sounded terrific to Kate, and made her hungry. But when she opened the refrigerator in Albany, she found just emergency rations of milk, eggs, and bread. She hoped she could make the best of them by remembering Castle's recipe for French toast.

* * *

The Reverend Hartley Toosmeyer was in a tizzy. "So you're going to let Senator Beckett's legislation come to a vote?" he demanded.

"I can send it to a committee and slow it down," Majority Leader Cap Katzenburger replied, "But that won't stop it. Ever since Aldis and Guilford came out looking like shit, we can't count on GBS to push our agenda anymore. No one wants to look like an environmental bad boy. The voters just aren't buying it. With every storm, we lose more support. And now with terrorists trying to take advantage of the weather, we're in a bad way. And in case you haven't noticed, Beckett gets very good press. The president put a medal around her husband's neck. Hell, most of our guys don't want to be seen as opposing her, at least not publicly.

"Watch your language," Toosmeyer cautioned. "And you know my people don't believe all that science blasphemy. The Earth was made in six days and they're trying to tell us it took billions of years. These storms are just God's response to sin. It's everywhere you look. And those atheists in Hollywood just make it look like those of us in the trenches of spiritual warfare are bunch of bigots. If the children are truly innocent victims, then God will heal them. We need to spend more time praying and less spending the taxpayer's money."

Cap might have taken Toosmeyer more seriously if he hadn't been aware of the apartment the reverend kept for purposes that violated at least one commandment and a variety of biblical ordinances. Still, the man delivered votes, fewer this past election, but he still delivered. That meant that Cap would have to pretend to believe the preacher's anti-science rant, even as global warming had forced Cap to sell his Florida condo before it flooded out in the next hurricane cycle. "Look, Reverend, I understand what you're telling me, and I sympathize, I really do. I can declare some sort of procedural justification to get the bill tabled for a while. The parliamentarian will go along with it. But eventually it will come to a vote and it will pass. Perhaps this is God's will. He's just using Kate Beckett as an unknowing servant to do his work for those children."

Toosmeyer shrugged. "I suppose that's possible. I'll have to pray about it and see what message God sends to me. In the meantime, how are you doing with outlawing the wearing of pants by girls in public schools? It is an act against God for a woman to dress like a man, and our girls are being led astray."

Cap sighed. "As I told you before Reverend, there is a law in force that prevents the requiring of uniforms or a dress code in public schools, except in matters of safety such as appropriate attire for physical education, or to prevent distraction from the learning process. If the pants were obscene or advocated drug use or discrimination, they could be banned. But as it stands, such a rule would be seen as denying the girls the right to keep their knees warm in the winter. There was a lawsuit sometime around '69 that addressed that matter. To keep the girls from wearing pants, you would have to prove that they are endangering more than their souls. Of course Reverend, if your church wants to fund schools of your own, you can demand that the students wear anything you like. But trying to impose the restrictions of your church on public institutions just will not fly. There's a financial angle too. Teenagers, especially girls, love to spend money on trendy clothes, including the newest pants. And I can tell you the businesses in many districts would not take kindly to interference with that income stream. A bill limiting the girls to plaid skirts and knees socks would never make it through committee, let alone pass into law."

Reverend Toosmeyer drew himself up to the full five foot nine inches the lifts in his highly polished shoes would afford. "Someday the wrath of God will descend upon the people and the hypocrites and unrighteous will be cast into the flames," he proclaimed. "I can only look forward to that day."

Cap considered the reports he'd heard of the preacher's barely legal aged stable of extramarital companions. "Yes, Reverend Toosmeyer, so do I."

A/N The lawsuit I referred to was spearheaded by a friend of mine while we were both still in high school. Our high school, and all the others in the city, lost their dress codes. We girls got warmer legs, and he made the first steps toward becoming one of the more prominent attorneys in this country. Dress codes have since returned, but in a somewhat more sensible fashion.


	45. Chapter 45

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 45

Kate was frustrated. Her bill had been tabled, and the complicated procedural justification given by Majority Leader Cap Katzenberger, serving as temporary president of the Senate, made no sense. Still, there were other things of interest, in particular educational funding. Even though her children were privileged enough to attend Latu's Trails, something she sometimes had mixed feelings about, she was a public school graduate. Having attended Stuyvesant, she had availed herself one of the best high schools in the nation, but it was still a public school. It seemed that through intervention of private interests, public education was undergoing steady erosion. She couldn't bear to see that happen. There were a number of amendments to an education bill to be considered. Some of them, like whether girls could wear pants or not, seemed laughable, but a fair proportion of her colleagues weren't laughing. The damn amendment had almost passed. Then there was the continuing effort to teach Noah's Ark alongside Earth Science. That went down too, but again, not by any great margin.

She'd heard whispers in the hallway about a Reverend Toosmeyer being behind what Kate regarded as the time wasting nonsense. She had heard his name before at party functions, often in the context of an off color joke, but she had never taken his influence seriously. She knew he was part of the anti-science nut-wing crowd who had been gifted with what she considered a ridiculously loud voice by GBS, but she had never given serious consideration to his influence. She was being forced to rethink that assessment. Now she wondered if he was behind the tabling of her bill. If there was anyone capable of gaining insight into crazy characters, it was Castle. If she had an opponent in Toosmeyer, she needed to know about it and construct some sort of strategy. She had a feeling Castle would love being asked to help - and it would distract him from obsessing over her health issues. It would distract both of them.

On the screen of Kate's tablet, Castle's brows rose thoughtfully. "The Reverend Hartley Toosmeyer, that is a great name for a character. I wish I'd thought of it. I'll look into him and see what I can discern. I can ask Alexis to run deep background too. The harder guys like him pound their bibles, the harder something is pounding on the doors of their closets, begging to be let out."

"Just be careful, Castle. Being seen as a mudslinger is not going to help me, especially if it looks like I'm slinging dirt at God," Kate cautioned. "If the guy really is a true believer, I'll find a way to cope with him, but if he isn't, we'll need to have all our ducks in a row before calling him out."

"I get it," Castle acknowledged. "Listen, Lagi has declared a couple of staff development days at Latu's Trails and the kids are off. I could come up with them tomorrow. We could stay through the weekend. I can take them to see the sights in our illustrious State Capital while you're in session, and then we could have some family time. Jake may even have another chapter of Larry Nussbaum's continuing adventures in poop." Castle wiggled one brow suggestively. "And maybe we can get in some Mama and Daddy time."

Kate's mouth turned upward for the first time all day. "Castle, that would be terrific. Let me know when you're getting in. I'll come get you at the train."

"Will do. I should be able to have something for you about Toosmeyer before then."

Kate sighed as her screen went blank, and slowly made her way back to the Senate chamber.

* * *

Balancing his laptop across his knees, Castle brought up images of Toosmeyer. "Good tailor," he muttered, noticing that the preacher's suits had been carefully cut to disguise the fullness at his midsection. He was also suffering from the Reagan Syndrome; his hair was unnaturally free of gray for his age. The height adding shoes were also obvious. Castle remembered when Ryan had briefly considered buying a pair, but decided otherwise, on the realization of the teasing he'd receive from Esposito. Toosmeyer was clearly a vain phony, but that didn't mean his religious beliefs weren't genuine. Castle never failed to be amazed by the human capacity for cognitive dissonance. He began to look further.

Toosmeyer wasn't from New York. He had grown up in Kentucky. That was no surprise. The beliefs the reverend espoused were common enough in the home of coal mines and thoroughbred horses. What was interesting was that he had not attended parochial school. He had grown up in Louisville, where his father worked producing baseball bats and his mother was a seamstress. As far a Castle could tell, his upbringing had been largely secular. Hartley had attended public school, where he had excelled at nothing except public speaking. Not finding another outlet for his one talent, he appeared to have drifted into the Church of Divine Perception, where he found a home as a lay preacher. Regarded as giving voice to God's will, he had been ordained without attending seminary, or college for that matter. Nevertheless, his Kentucky church had grown to thousands of members. The denomination had dispatched him to Ohio, where he had again created a mega-church. Then Hartley was presented with the challenge of New York.

Not even attempting to build a base in the sin pit of New York City, Toosmeyer had settled in rural upstate New York. Again his fundamentalist message struck a chord. He had started in a barn, then constructed a church building and continued to expand. His congregants would travel for up to fifty miles on Sunday mornings to hear his message of biblical truth. He also operated satellite bible studies during the week. Castle noted that while the church preached charity, the majority of the funds they collected seemed to be devoted to building programs, including the grand parsonage where Toosmeyer lived. While that might be regarded as less than godly, there was nothing illegal about it. Castle called Alexis to see what she'd raked up.

"The guy is a prize, Dad," she reported. "We hacked into his financials. Officially he only makes about forty thousand a year from the church, besides being housed and given allowances for continuing instruction in the word of God. From the look of things, that instruction is far from holy. He has an apartment in Albany, paid for by the church, so he can spread God's word to the legislature. That's at least a violation of tax laws. But there are more interesting laws in play. Not only does he have a stream of working girls, emphasis on the girls, coming through that apartment, he appears to be pimping them out for political favors."

"Alexis, you said appears. Kate can't act on anything except solid proof. Do you have any?" Castle queried.

"Nothing that wasn't obtained by - creative means, Dad," Alexis admitted. "But I can put someone on him. Kevin, Javi, and Roselyn all have cases, but Big Jake and Big Reese are available for contract work. I can send one of them up to Albany to do some surveillance on Toosmeyer. If he is facilitating prostitution, it shouldn't take long to get the evidence."

"Send them both," Castle instructed. "The sooner we can get Toosmeyer out of Kate's way, the better."


	46. Chapter 46

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 46

Reese Perkins sat in his SUV outside the apartment The Church of Divine Perception provided for the Reverend Toosmeyer. He had just relieved Jake Pullman, and his coffee was still mercifully hot. Jake had reported an interesting night, with no less than six women, their clothing disguised by heavy coats, but with spike heeled boots, exaggerated makeup, and sexily disarrayed hair, using the preacher's private entrance. Several men whose photos Jake would be comparing to the roster of current legislators, had made the pilgrimage as well. Jake had told Reese that it didn't look as if any of the subjects expected to be observed. They'd seemed to be more concerned with the bite of the cold wind wind, than with being seen. Well that would make Reese's life easier if there was actually anyone to photograph that morning. It might be that all the action took place at night. Once he and Jake figured out Toosmeyer's habits, they could work out a schedule most likely to yield the maximum amount of dirty laundry. In the meantime he would watch, with his long range lens handy. Despite his thermal underwear and carefully chosen layers of clothing, he would have to run the heater intermittently to keep from freezing his butt off. Albany was a lot colder than the Big Apple. He hoped this job would be a quick one.

* * *

Kate met her family at the early morning train. As they approached the parking area, she handed the car keys to Castle. "You should take the car and drop me at the Capitol. Then you and the kids can go do whatever you have planned, and pick me up later. We should all be able to have dinner together and you can all tell me about your adventures."

"Kate, we have more to talk about than that," Rick reminded her.

"She nodded. "I know, Babe, and we will, but later. Right now we both have things to do."

As Castle approached the historic Capitol building, the kids clamored to see where Mama worked. Kate explained that tours had stopped after the bad guys came, because they were still fixing a few things. She went on to promise that as soon as everything was ready, she'd arrange a special visit for the family.

* * *

With Lily walking ahead, and a twin's mitten encased hand held tightly in each one of his gloved ones, Castle took his children into the New York State Museum. He gratefully checked their coats. Having studied the map beforehand, he took an immediate left turn, rushed his charges past the Museum Shop and into Fire Engine Hall. Reese and Jake were both riveted by the historic vehicles. Jake loudly proclaimed that he wanted to grow up to be a fireman, which Castle considered several steps up from the boy's previous goal of heading a demolition crew. From there, they skipped the large exhibit showcasing New York City. The family could and did see the real thing often enough. Lily enjoyed seeing the birds of New York, wondering if she could work some of their calls into her music, but the boys were anxious to see the mastodon in the Ancient Life of New York exhibit. Castle finally pulled them away from the massive beast, to go on to the Native Peoples of New York, after which they passed through Fossils, before reaching the very kid friendly Discovery Place and Kid's Cove, where Castle could let his parental alert status fall from red to yellow. He could relax even further during visits to a couple of museum theaters, after which there were potty breaks and proclamations of extreme starvation.

With no facilities to feed them within the museum, Castle transported his brood to a kid friendly restaurant that could accommodate the twins' remaining dietary restrictions. Well filled, they returned to the museum to explore vintage vehicles and planes. When Castle was sure that lunch had settled, there were rides on the Museum Carousel, following which Castle received an exquisitely timed text from Kate, that sessions were over for the day. He informed his slightly dizzy offspring that they would be going to pick up Mama.

* * *

Declaring that Lily and the twins needed rest after a busy day, Rick shooed them to their rooms before flopping at Kate's side on the couch. "The kids were tired, right Castle?" Kate quipped.

"They caught it from me," Castle admitted. "How about you? Hard day at the office?"

"More like boring day at the office," Kate admitted. "Sometimes I think there's an ongoing contest for introducing the most unrelated amendments, and I just haven't received my entry form. I'm wondering what percentage of the time I'm actually going to do something meaningful."

"You'll get there, Kate. You've only been in office a short time. At least you got on to Toosmeyer. That alone may turn out to be a vast public service. Big Reese or Big Jake, I forget which, is sitting on him now. There should be plenty of pictures of the parade of female pulchritude."

Kate winced. "I wish there was a better way to do it, Castle."

"We could play Elliott Ness and try to get him on tax evasion," Castle noted, "but it won't help those kids to wait while the wheels of the forensic accountants grind away. And even then, we'd have to find someone to charge him. The Attorney General hasn't shown any enthusiasm for going after religious figures."

"You're right there," Kate conceded.

"Aside from bored and frustrated, how are you?" Castle asked. "Any decisions?"

Kate inched away. "So now we're talking about procedures on my heart?"

Castle reached out to stroke her cheek. "You know we are, Kate. I'm not rushing you - well I'm trying not to rush you, but if you do decide to do something besides watchful waiting, we'd have to plan it out. And if not, we'll need to make sure your monitoring is arranged, whether you're in Albany or New York. So have you decided?"

Kate chewed on her lip. "Castle, if there's one thing I'm learning here, it's that the State Senate isn't going to be enough for me. Assuming we can get Toosmeyer and anyone like him out of the way, I'll still be lucky if I can get one or two major things done during my term. Even with our house here, that means a lot of time away from you and the kids, with very little to show for it. State legislation can lead the way, but the real action is in D.C.."

"So what are you saying?" Castle pressed.

"That sooner or later, I'll be running for national office. And if I get one, I'll be running back and forth between New York and D.C.. I'll need a lot of energy for that, Babe. I can't afford to let anything slow me down. Especially if there's a way to fix it. I want the ablation."

Castle tried to swallow his heart back into his chest. "Kate, you read the papers I gave you. Robby the Robot has killed people."

"Robby has been reprogrammed Castle," Kate argued. "If I'm going to be successful, I'll need some retooling too."

Castle drew her to him, letting her head rest against his shoulder. "When?"

"June, when the current session is over. I'll have Dr. Mayhew do it in New York."

Castle pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. "I'll be with you, every step of the way."

Kate framed his face in her hands and pressed her lips to his. "I know. That's the one thing in this world I can count on, always."


	47. Chapter 47

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 47

The first public hint at a problem with passing Kate's bill popped up in an article by Paul Whittaker in The Ledger. He posed the question of why a piece of legislation that would help so many, especially children, should be stalled by an arcane procedural issue. He called on Cap Katzenberger to put out an answer. Castle perused the online version on his tablet over morning coffee with Kate. "Paul did a good job. We didn't have to drop much of a hint."

"Besides Anne and his digital comics, exposing crooked politics is his favorite thing." Kate offered."We're going to have to be a lot more subtle about getting RCI's findings about Toosmeyer out. His followers will not take it well."

"How about this," Castle proposed, "The Ledger has been after me to do another series of stories they can put out on the web as value added content. Suppose I write about some preacher with unholy appetites. I can change his name. Ooh, I could call him Reverend Touchalot. Let the comments speculate about whom I might be basing my character on. Then somehow a photograph or two of the ladies entering Toosmeyer's den of iniquity surfaces. The media, especially the some of the bloggers and the Twitterverse, will salivate to put two and two together. If asked, I could call it an interesting coincidence. And you'll refuse to comment because you're too busy trying to get some meaningful work done to go digging around in the dirt."

"Castle, that's so sneaky."

"Yes it is," Castle acknowledged. "It reminds me a little of a certain member of the AG's Task Force who dropped dime on the CIA when they were trying to bamboozle an innocent Russian girl into putting her head on the block for them. So do you like it?"

Kate leaned over the table for a quick kiss. "I do. I like it a lot."

* * *

The Castles had settled into a regular routine. For the weeks when Kate had to be in Albany, if it was only for a day or two, she went by herself. If her stay was extended, Castle brought the kids with him for a weekend. Kate's bill passed, and she went on to other legislation. She had joined a caucus addressing women's issues, particularly the backlog of untested rape kits, and the hesitation of police to intervene in cases of domestic violence, something with which Kate had considerable familiarity. When in New York, she also met regularly with her constituents in a small office not far from the Fieldston house. She hated taking time out to be monitored by Dr. Mayhew, but Castle insisted, usually driving her to Mayhew's office, to reassure himself that she went.

Rick and Kate were sitting in the waiting area outside Mayhew's office when a story came up on the wall mounted screen, showing Toosmeyer being arrested for human trafficking. The reporter read a release from The Church of Divine Perception stating that even the greatest of God's warriors were guilty of sin, and they would pray for the cleansing Toosmeyer's heart and soul.

Castle grinned. "They finally got the little weasel. If God is going to cleanse his heart, he's going to need one hell of a bar of soap."

"I'll let God worry about that one," Kate replied. "I'm more concerned with the rehabilitation of those young women, and so many like them."

"Let me guess, you've got legislation coming to help with the process."

"Not yet," Kate admitted, "but I'm working on it. Once someone has something like that on their record, it's hard to get a job in a decent line of work. We want to be able to send them to school, get them trained for something where they can make a living, then get their records expunged so they're not stripped bare again every time they fill out a job application."

"That's ambitious, Kate," Castle offered.

Kate fingered her ever present necklace. "I have a lot of help on this, Castle, and it's a giant worth toppling."

* * *

The end of the legislative session in June arrived with a sudden influx of warmth, that was a shock after a rainy spring followed the blizzard packed winter. Kate had hoped that her sex-worker rehabilitation bill would have at least made it to the floor, but it was still stuck in committee. Too many legislators were concerned that they would be seen as supporting prostitution if they backed it. Her frustration contributed to her eagerness for the ablation of the scar tissue around her heart, convinced that she could use every enhancement to her butt kicking ability that she could get, when the next session began in January.

Though keeping to his promise of support, Castle did not share her enthusiasm. A risk to Kate, even a small one, tore at his own heart. Where she was concerned, his perennial optimism fell by the wayside. He checked and rechecked the outcomes of the procedure Dr. Mayhew and his team would be using. With the latest iteration, there had been no fatalities, something for which he thanked God, but there had been complications, most notably infections by ever more resistant microbes. Mayhew had assured Castle that protocols for the utmost sterility would be followed, but that didn't ease Castle's mind. Weren't doctors supposed to do that anyway? Infections, especially hospital acquired ones, were still significant killers, considerably more than the homicides the police so doggedly pursued. Kate could be one of the unlucky ones. God knew his life with Kate had been filled with more than its share of black clouds.

Still, when the day came, he was at her side, a smile pasted to his somewhat more rugged, but still handsome face. Alexis had volunteered to get Lily and the twins off to school and take care of them when they returned home. After the procedure, Kate would be monitored overnight in the hospital and Castle planned to spend much or all of it with her. Jim Beckett and Martha joined Castle in waiting room, while Kate was in the operating room.

Castle's mind flashed back to the day when the shot rang out at Roy Montgomery's funeral. He could see the blood staining her uniform through the mist of his tears, as he begged her to stay with him. He watched her die and be shocked back to life in the ambulance, feeling the spirit ebb from his own body. Josh had slammed him in the hall of the hospital, blaming him for making Kate a target, and despite Martha's protestations, he had accepted that blame. In the years that had followed, Castle had done everything he could to protect Kate, even when she resented him for it. He had often been unsuccessful, but she had survived, they both had. To have come through so much and then to lose her as an aftereffect of danger assumed to be long gone, was something he wasn't sure he could survive. There wasn't enough room in the waiting area for the long strides of his legs as he paced, so took to the hallway.

Wearing a surgical cap emblazoned with smiling suns, Dr. Mayhew finally arrived. He was also smiling. Castle was joined by Jim and Martha, as Mayhew delivered the news. "It went well," he reported. "The ablation is complete and the appropriate inhibitory medication was delivered to prevent the regrowth of scar tissue. We were able to use micro-incisions, so Kate's exposure to possible infection was minimal, and she has been given protective antibiotics. We will be watching her tonight, but I am optimistic of the best possible outcome. Rick, your wife should be returning to slaying dragons with renewed vigor in no time.

A/N It was probably not clear when Kate said that June is the end of the legislative session in the New York Legislature, but that is the case. Essentially Kate only needs to be in Albany for a few days a month and just January through June. So she will not be away from her family as much as you might fear, at least not in her present position.


	48. Chapter 48

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 48

Kate was still muzzy from the anesthetic when Castle took her hand. She shifted against the pillow. "Hey, Babe."

"Hey yourself. Mayhew said everything went fine. The Beckett toughness triumphs again."

"Mmm. he told me the went fine part. So how are you, Castle? You look tired."

"Well, I was busy keeping Mother and your father calm. You know how it is."

Kate's mouth twitched. "Uh huh."

They'll be coming in, in a minute. Mother wanted to get something useless and needlessly flamboyant from the gift shop," Castle added.

"Right, she's the only one in the family that does that."

Castle squared his shoulders and widened his eyes. "Of course she is. Every purchase I make is purely practical." Kate started to laugh, but winced. Castle caressed her cheek. "Guess even those micro-incisions can sting a little."

"A little," Kate agreed as Martha bustled into the room with Jim Beckett behind her.

Martha carried a throw blanket in an eye assaulting array of colors. She spread it over Kate. "To keep you warm Katherine, they never heat hospitals properly."

Jim Beckett shrugged and flashed an understanding look at his daughter. "How are you doing, Katie?"

"Just fine, Dad. But listen, maybe you can drop by and see the kids tonight? Lily was a little nervous about my being in the hospital and she always loves seeing you - both of you."

Martha didn't miss Kate's hesitation. "Actually, I have a performance tonight, a reading actually. One of my students is also a playwright and he needs star power to garner some attention." She turned to Jim. "But you should go, darling."

"Of course," Jim agreed. "We should probably let Katie rest now." Jim led Martha out of the room and into the hall. "What was that about? You don't have a reading tonight."

"And you are Lily's special favorite," Martha insisted. "Tonight she can use that comfort, especially with Richard here with Kate. So go be Grandpa, I do have a student who's written a play. It's terrible. He can use some counsel and tonight is as good a night as any."

Smiling, Jim nodded.

* * *

"Alone together at last," Kate sighed.

"I'd suggest a dance," Castle offered, "but I suspect the electronics you're tethered to might protest loudly. And a make out session, if it's any good, might precipitate a similar problem. Now that you've had your tune up, we could talk about your plans."

"Castle, I'll be available to my constituents. I'll have some regular office hours for that. And I'm sure I'll be drafted into some party functions, but things should be pretty loose until next January. We might even want to spend some time at the Albany house while I'm not working. It's cooler up there than it is in New York. It would be better, if the kids want to play outside."

"Kate, I was talking about long term plans," Castle chided. "You have one more year left on your term in the State Senate. Are you going to campaign for re-election or what? What's the next step in your battle against the forces of evil? And if you're looking toward D.C., how are we going to handle it? Long distance is hard enough when you're in Albany. I know D.C. is only about an hour further, but to the kids, an hour can be forever. And what would we be talking about? A run for Congress? The Senate?"

Kate sighed. "Castle, I don't know yet. I didn't want to think about it too much until I saw how the surgery went. I know right now the Senate in D.C. is out of the question. Our senior senator is the party leader and our junior senator is highly popular. The party would never support a run against either of them. Congress would be possible. Right now they only average a little over a hundred days in DC, that's not that much more than I have in Albany. But I'd be working harder with my constituents in New York and the fund raising would be constant. It would still take a lot of time. We'd have to decide if we can handle that now, or we want to wait until the kids are older."

"Then how about this?" Castle proposed. "Take as much as you can of the summer with me and the kids. We can spend time in Albany, the Hamptons, or wherever you like. Lily isn't graded at Latu's Trails during the summer and grading won't start for the boys until next year. They can take some time off from school. We could even do a cross country trip, visit historic sites, or even just theme parks or cons. Don't even think about swinging your sword of justice. Just see how it feels to have all of us together all of the time, whether you like it, or it will send you screaming off into the night."

"Castle, I think we've already done the screams in the night, in so many ways," Kate quipped. "But you have a point. More family time will help me get my head straight. And even with house in Albany, I've missed the kids and I've missed you. While we have the chance, let's grab all the Castle togetherness we can get."

"Great!" Castle exclaimed. "I've always wanted to see the world's largest ball of twine. I think it's in Kansas."

Kate groaned and rolled her eyes.

* * *

"Grandpa," Lily asked after she'd finished playing her latest composition for her grandfather, "is Mama really all right?"

Jim patted the couch next to him. Lily sat down, and looked sagely into his face. "Lily, the doctor said she's fine," Jim assured her, "better than she was before. There was just a little something he had to fix."

"I heard Mama and Daddy talking," Lily confessed. "It was her heart, where someone shot her. On TV when people get shot in the heart, they die. Could Mama have died?"

Jim drew a breath. "That was a long time ago, Lily. And yes she could have died, but she didn't. Your mama is very strong. She got well. With your daddy's help, she caught the man who hired the man who shot her, and put him in jail. Then she and your daddy got married and they went after more bad guys. You want to know a secret?"

"What?" Lily asked.

"I've worried about your mama too, a lot."

"Like she worried when you were in the hospital?" Lily wondered.

"That's right," Jim said. "We all worry about the people we love, Lily. We want them to be safe and happy. But if you love someone, you have to let them follow their own path. That's why your mama and daddy help you to make your music. That's why your daddy takes care of you and Jake and Reese while your mama is in Albany trying to make the world better. That's why your mama makes sure your daddy has time to write, and that's why I make sure Grandma has her time on the stage. When your brothers are a little older and decide what they really want to do, I'm sure your mama and daddy will help them with that too. Seeing your mama do what she needed to do was scary for me, and I know it sometimes was for your daddy too, but your mama is a hero, and heroes fight battles. Sometimes it's taken a while, but your mama has always won hers."

"Will I be a hero when I grow up?" Lily asked.

"Sweetheart, with the magic your music has worked," Jim assured her, "you already are."


	49. Chapter 49

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 49

Kate gazed at the image on the screen of Castle's laptop. "The kiddie park at Deno's Wonder Wheel?"

"I thought we'd start there with a test run for the twins. We've had Lily on rides before, if not the big ones, but the most tummy tumbling experience the boys've had is a carousel. I discovered the unfortunate consequences of too much, too fast, when Alexis was little and I took her to her first amusement park. I don't want to repeat the experience in stereo. If the twins can handle these rides, we can try something a bit more bone rattling - if they meet the height requirement. Lily will love the pony carts. And there's all kinds of stuff the boys will like: jumping motorcycles, a speedway, trucks. And we can see what happens on Dizzy Dragons and the Sea Serpent Roller Coaster. We'll definitely do those after we've stuck their toes in the water with the tamer rides."

"Good thinking," Kate agreed. "This is a little nostalgic. It's been a long time since I've been to Coney Island."

"Me too," Castle said. "Not since the night I took you on the giant Ferris wheel."

"You mean the night we got stuck at the top?" Kate queried.

Castle squirmed uncomfortably. "We didn't get stuck, Kate," he confessed. "I slipped a hundred to the guy to keep us up there for a while. You'd been going through such a busy time and the kids weren't giving us a moment's peace. When Alexis volunteered to give us a night off, I thought just hanging in mid air with you for a while would be pretty terrific."

A smile spread over Kate's face as she recalled the suspension against a star-filled sky that had winked out of existence when Castle's lips had found hers. "It was pretty terrific. It was just what I needed, what we both needed. But I think right now what I really want is a cherry knish, and no one makes them like the vendors on Coney Island."

"I will keep that in mind," Castle responded. "Kiddie rides and knishes, it has a ring to it."

* * *

Castle had considered transporting the family to Coney Island via subway, but with the change of trains involved in the travel from Fieldston, it seemed like too long an overture to the attractions ahead. He and Kate secured the kids in the car. Excitement grew as Rick took the Ocean Park South exit and found a spot in the official Coney Island Parking lot. The walk to Deno's wasn't long, but Lily was distracted by the aquarium that flanked the park on one side, and the twins were drawn by Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs, which flanked it on the other. Castle filed both interests away for future reference.

Admission to the Kiddie Park was free, with tickets for rides available as desired. With the ticket booth next to the big truck ride, the twins were bouncing off the asphalt by the time Castle made a purchase. There were eighteen rides, and as the morning progressed, the family had made it through nine of them, with requests for repeats being made by Lily for the Pony Carts, and the twins for the Speedway. As lunchtime approached, Castle suggested a trip to Nathan's before a return to the park. On the way, he regaled the family with the history of the restaurant's founding, over a hundred years before. The twins were more interested in french fries than foundings and Lily was looking forward to a strawberry shake, a love inherited from Kate.

As they waited for their order, the twins surveyed pictures of the hot dog eating contest the restaurant sponsored, happily speculating on the grossness of what might happen when someone ate a thousand. Using the crayons supplied for children, Reese drew a picture of a man's stomach exploding, which while disgusting, Castle found amazingly well done. He silently speculated with an unconscious grin that his son might have a future in the rendering of comic books. He'd have to remember to ask Lagi about extra instruction in art. Lily had decided on chicken noodle soup to accompany her shake, and Rick and Kate had stuck to salads, but with the twins stuffed full of chicken tenders and fries, Castle suggested a walk along the boardwalk before returning to the rides at the park. Kate enthusiastically concurred, anticipating augmenting her salad at a knish concession.

Jake particularly enjoyed looking out at the ocean and began asking questions about what happens on boats. When the family returned to the park, Jake couldn't wait to get on the boat ride and the mini-pirate ships. He declared boldly that he had changed his mind about being a fireman and wanted to sail the seas. When the family had finally exhausted every ride, including four turns on the Sea Serpent roller coaster, Rick and Kate agreed that it was time to call it a day.

Jake couldn't calm down during the trip home, sharing his imaginings of a summer full of adventure. Lily hummed softly, integrating the rhythm of the waves into a song, and Reese sketched on a tablet. Castle was mentally revising his itinerary for the summer to fit the emerging proclivities of the twins, while praying that the boys might be tired enough for either a nap or an early bedtime.

Jake and Reese were too hyper for either. To accommodate the preferences of both boys, Castle made up a new story about a comic book artist who traveled the world finding adventures he could put in his graphic novels. Finally the boys were in bed, if not asleep, and Lily, ears encased in headphones, was crafting music reflecting the lurches, rattles, and whines of the rides.

Rick and Kate lay side by side on their bed, resting. "Castle, how many days like this do you think we'll be able to survive this summer?" Kate wondered.

"I don't think they'll all be like this, Kate," Castle mused. "It looks like we'll be catering to three different sets of interests, although there's going to be some overlap. We've known that Lily's all about music, for years. We might be looking at things like the Musical Instrument Museum or the Jazz Museum of Harlem as a start. But Jake is looking for adventure, preferably hands on, like boat trips, and Reese is looking for adventures to put on the page. He could be my comic con buddy. At least we'll be mixing it up."

The twins' personalities are really beginning to diverge, aren't they?" Kate noted. "They never have been into dressing alike, and it would have been to confusing anyway. But it looks like Reese has the artistic bent and Jake is our adrenaline junky."

"I wonder where he got that from," Castle quipped. "But you're right. Alexis was different. She loved music, she loved science, she loved a lot of things, but she never had a real passion until being a P.I. practically hit her between the eyes. With Lily and the boys, their directions seem to be developing sooner. We're going to have to find the best teachers and schools for Lily and Reese to develop their talents, and for Jake, we'll just have to do our best to keep him in one piece."

"Castle," Kate recalled, "we promised each other that our lives would never be boring. Looks like the kids will be doing their part to help us keep that promise."

"Kate, I don't think we've needed any help," Castle observed wryly. "but with our three, we couldn't break that vow if we tried."

A/N Knishes are fillings covered with dough. The usual filling is potato, but it can be almost anything, often cheese. They are prepared in a variety of ways, but in the carnival atmosphere of Coney Island, the evil deliciousness of the deep fryer is to be expected. The only place I've actually found a truly delectable cherry knish is on Coney Island. I found some once in the freezer case of a specialized market, but they were not even close to the boardwalk variety. And we do know that Kate has a thing for cherries.


	50. Chapter 50

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 50

In the interest of more fun, with less travel time, Castle planned most of the rest of the summer's activities in New York City. There was a visit to the South Street Seaport Museum for Jake, the Museum of Modern Art for Reese, and the musical museums for Lily. The whole family enjoyed the Museum of Natural History. In addition, there were parks, zoos, the Empire State Building, and a cruise to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. They made a pilgrimage to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, so Kate could indulge her love of baseball and Lily could learn more about her grandfather's fascination. Castle also found a couple of small comic cons he could enjoy with Reese, without the complications of year ahead registration and thirty second ticket sell outs.

Kate wanted to attend a state lawmakers conference in Vegas, so Castle arranged for the family to hitch a ride on a friend's private plane. Kate had her doubts, but accepted his argument that it was the one destination where the kids could experience dolphins, a pirate ship, the circus, a pyramid, and an Arthurian castle all within a short distance of each other. While Kate explored the intricacies of legislative strategies, Rick took Lily and the twins on a kid friendly tour. Fortunately, the actual casino areas were out of bounds for anyone under twenty-one. Had Castle been tempted, he would not have been able to stray from the straight and narrow. The whole family attended a joust with medieval costumes and food, and walked through the water misted canopy of the light display in downtown.

The summer came to a close more quickly than Rick and Kate would have imagined, leaving them to recover when the kids returned to school. Castle took the opportunity to catch up on his writing while Kate dealt with with the concerns of her constituents, but there were also stretches of time during school hours when Rick and Kate could just be together. They caught up on the insanely long running Temptation Lane and marathon watched the movies from the fifties and sixties that were precursors to the modern science fiction franchises. They danced every day. But as much as she was enjoying herself, Castle could see that Kate was growing restless.

Kate nervously broached the subject herself. "Castle, I thought I'd go to FTC. Maria tells me the number of women seeking help for domestic abuse rose with the temperature over the summer. They need decent representation to keep from getting crushed in the justice system. Our pro bono people are taking as many cases as they can, but there's an overload. I want to pitch in. I really need to pitch in, Babe."

Castle took her hand. "I know you do. You've been away from dispatching demons for too long. I have an idea for a new book anyway. I want to expand on what I wrote about my Toosmeyer stand-in and explore the effects of corruption in the religious community on the people who are taken in. There's plenty of material, but it's going to require a lot of research. I'll want to interview the victims, and if I can manage it, some of the perpetrators. It will be a novel, but I want it grounded in reality as much as possible. I'll have more than enough to keep me busy."

Kate nestled her cheek against the depth of his large palm. "Have I told you I love you?"

Castle's eyes lit as they crinkled at the corners. "Not since this morning when I did my husbandly duty by bringing you a roll of toilet paper." Castle consulted his watch and wiggled an eyebrow. "The kids won't be back for at least an hour. You could show me."

Kate just nodded, standing up and leading him to the bedroom. The bed was made, but Kate pulled back the covers. "Give me a minute," she requested, before rummaging in the drawer of her dresser and grabbing what looked to Castle like a handful of silk and satin. Kate emerged from their bathroom in a teddy, laced up the front with ribbon and tied with a single bow. Her hair was loose and her face bare of makeup, but her cheeks held a glow. Castle had stripped to his shorts and was waiting in the bed. He patted the sheet beside him. "Come here, beautiful."

As Kate slipped in next to him, he pulled on the ends of her bow. The bodice of the teddy fell open and he caressed her still firm breasts. Arousal shivered through her as the dark nipples came to attention. She leaned in, her open mouth seeking his. Their tongues met, tips first, then twining and searching. Bare skin met bare skin, the sudden warmth flowing between them. There was plenty of time, and Rick had intended to go slowly, but Kate pressed close, his need rose behind shorts, against the silk that still sheathed her belly. As he pushed the fabric barriers down and away, she wrapped her legs around him, his hardness caught between their bodies. Her desire ground against his as he cupped her from behind, their tongues still thrusting and parrying. A groan vibrated through him as Kate stroke his shaft.

Castle rolled, bringing Kate above him. His palms again found her her breasts, now desperate for his touch. Streamers of heat shot through her body. She was open, longing, wet, and slick. Fingers encircling him him, she urged him inside.

He needed little urging. She rode hard. The bud of her feminine sensation grew harder beneath the pressure of of his thumb, as desperation rose in her throat. "More, I need you deep!"

They rolled again, her legs pulled upward, knees almost beneath her head. The new position allowed him to plunge even further within. She was so close. As she cried out in frustration, he caught the sound in his mouth, their tongues warring again. Kate's internal switch suddenly flipped. She could feel the firing of her nerve endings as the waves of contractions swept through her, triggering Castle's jerk of release.

Slowly, Kate lowered her legs, her muscles still quivering. Rick rolled off, to lay beside her. "Still stupendously flexible. You owe your yoga teacher a massive a massive tip," he panted.

"I'll tell her you said so," Kate replied raggedly.

Castle grabbed his watch from the bedside table. We still have at least half an hour before the kids get here."

"Babe, do you really? I mean you don't look like you … and I..."

"That's not what I meant Kate, although it certainly is a stimulating thought. We talked about a couple of decisions today. I was wondering if you'd made any more. The summer was supposed to help you decide, but you haven't said anything yet. Are you still ruminating?"

Kate pushed her sweat dampened hair behind her ear. "I have been chewing it over, Castle. It's been incredible watching the kids, seeing the wonder grow in their eyes whenever they've discovered something new. It's intoxicating and it's addictive. I don't want to miss any more than I have to. I hated missing out while I was in Vegas and they played tourist with you. But while you were running around with them, I also found out more about being a legislator. I'm used to kicking in doors and taking names. But there's a lot more subtlety to it than that. It's the part of the process I like the least, but it's necessary. There are the back room discussions and the dance of asking for more than you need, to pretend you're settling for what you actually wanted in the first place. Those are the tools that get laws passed. Some people are very good at using them, but I'm not - yet. I need to learn about the ins and outs all of that, just like I needed to learn the parts of being a cop they don't teach in the academy. That's going to take more experience. I can have an unlimited number of terms as a State Senator, and a lot of summers and more with you and the kids, here and in Albany. I can hone my skills and enjoy watching the kids sharpen theirs. Then when I'm ready, and Lily and the boys are ready, and we decide we can handle it, I'll think about D.C."

Castle drew her in for a kiss. "Sounds like a plan."


	51. Chapter 51

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 51

With Kate soon to return to her duties in the State Senate, the urge to make the holidays as joyous as possible was edged with desperation. Rick had purchased the biggest tree the Castle castle could accommodate. Christmas pirates sailed on a blue plastic ocean beneath it. The lawn was a white wonderland peopled by snow fairies, and an ice princess peered from the window of the turret. Lily's winter themes tinkled from speakers set in trees above the snowy landscape. At night, fairy lights swept over the landscape from laser projectors.

Reese had made his own illustrations for _A Visit from Saint Nicholas_ , and Castle'd had them blown up and displayed as a prominent part of the indoor decorations. Jake had insisted that a sloping portion of the yard behind the house be turned into a mini-toboggan run, and gloried in coming up with new ways that he could terrify his parents while using it. Clove studded pomanders scented the house, with an overlay of Christmas cookies and hot chocolate stirred with candy canes enticing the nose.

Kate and Rick cuddled in front of a fire protected by a firmly affixed screen, while Lily supervised her brothers in the crafting and decorating of marshmallow treat figures to grace a giant gingerbread house. Reese insisted that his boy and girl were Hansel and Gretel, but they were going to turn the tables, and eat the black licorice dressed witch. "Think Lily can handle the boys?" Kate asked.

"Putty, or at least marshmallows in her hands," Castle responded. "She's very good at bossing guys around."

Kate batted her eyelashes. "Can't imagine where she gets that from. Must be Martha."

"Of course." Castle's face crinkled in a grin which slowly faded. "Kate, I know the Senate schedule is only a few days a month this year, shorter than usual. But we're still really going to miss you."

Kate snuggled more tightly against his shoulder. "I know, and I'm really going to miss you too, especially after the last six months. But Castle, with the time I've been spending in court, it's become more obvious to me each day just how much work there is to do. And with the shorter session, I'm going to have to work even harder to get it done. But listen, Topher, the senator from the next district over, he has a pilot's license and he's working on getting a private plane. He told me if I'll share fuel costs, we can can fly back and forth together. They just opened a new general aviation airport about twenty minutes from here. It will save a lot of time and you won't need to bring the kids up to the Albany house as much, because I'll be in the city. It's going to work, Babe."

"I've never met Topher. What does he look like?" Castle queried.

"About six foot four, six pack, great hair, and a very tight butt," Kate responded before bursting into giggles. "Castle, you should see your face! He's five four and a hundred and seventy five pounds. He has a face even his mother might not have been able to love, but his his wife has been blind since birth, so it never mattered to her. She's gorgeous, by the way. She's a sculptor who's had several shows in a gallery in SoHo. She seeks beauty in the grotesque, which may be why she appreciates Topher so much."

"Sounds like work Reese would like," Castle mused. "Next time she has a show, we ought to take him."

"Good idea," Kate agreed.

Laughter erupted from the kitchen followed by Lily's rebuke. Kate and Rick looked at each other and went to make sure the witch wasn't the only one in peril.

* * *

Castle watched Topher's plane take off from Sullenberger airport and gazed at the Beechcraft King Air craft until it was out of sight. With no TSA to worry about, there were no security checks or boarding procedures. Kate had kissed him goodbye and climbed aboard as soon as they'd arrived at the field. He had expected something smaller and flimsier, but was relieved by the sight of the sturdy turbo prop. It did much to push the acid rising in his throat downward again. Kate would be in Albany overnight for a mixer and to attend the opening session the next day. Then weather permitting, she and Topher would be flying back late the next afternoon. To Castle, the whole thing seemed a waste of time. The legislature could easily have stuck the opening onto the two days they were meeting the following week, but the citizenry had no input into the schedule. Neither did Kate, for that matter. She wasn't on the committee that proposed the calendar which was rubber stamped by most of the legislature.

He looked at his watch. The kids would be arriving home in less than an hour. In a pinch, Lily was more than capable of getting the boys out of the van and keeping an eye on them for short periods of time, but Castle hated to put that responsibility on her young shoulders. The twins were still a handful for most adults, himself included. Castle made it back in time to have hot chocolate and some of the enormous stash of Christmas cookies that still remained, ready to greet his children.

Topher landed the plane at a private air field just outside Albany city limits. He and Kate were met by a car that ferried them to a hotel where the mixer was being held, in the historic DeWitt District of Albany. With everything she needed at the Albany house, Kate had no luggage to worry about, only a leather tote bag, which rested comfortably on her shoulder. She had the security of knowing the bag contained her gun. As an ex-cop and public figure, she'd had no trouble getting a carry permit, and after the terrorist attack the year before, the extra weight of the metal was reassuring.

Kate scanned the ballroom. A buffet had been set up against one wall. There had been better hors d'oeuvres served at the Castles' own Christmas party, but that was no surprise. Rick didn't pick the caterer based on the lowest bidder. She decided to pass. There was an open bar. The quality of the booze wasn't up to the standards of what Castle served either, but that didn't seem to be a deterrent to the crowd impatiently waiting for drinks from the sole bartender. She saw no reason to bother. If she wanted a drink later, there were better things in the carefully locked liquor cabinet at the house.

She recognized most of the faces as senators or their staffers. There were one or two new ones who looked young enough to be interns. Hotel staff in blue aprons and white bow ties circulated, picking up soiled plates and used glasses. Kate noticed one that gave her the itchy feeling on the back of her neck she used to get when eyeing a possible suspect. He wasn't doing anything overtly suspicious, but he looked nervous, and his eyes kept darting around the room as if he was expecting something to happen. Something did, but nothing Kate could have prevented with a gun.

One of the senior senators pulled at his tie, complaining about how warm the room was. He demanded an iced bottle of water from the bar, but after several gulps, collapsed to the floor. Kate ran over to check for a pulse. There was one, but Senator Truesdale was gasping for air. His aide, Franny Moskowitz, had already called 911. The lead server had also called for emergency medical help from the hotel. Kate and Franny loosened Truesdale's shirt and tie and propped him up in an effort to ease his breathing, but there was nothing more to do for him until medical help arrived. Kate surveyed the room. The man who had pinged her cop instincts was gone.


	52. Chapter 52

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 52

A pall hung over the opening session of the State Senate. Paul Truesdale was alive, but in serious shape. What had been thought to be a heart attack, the doctors had speculated was a drug interaction with something Truesdale ate or drank. The cause had yet to be tracked down. His symptoms were consistent with consuming grapefruit juice with a medication he had taken, but Truesdale swore he hadn't consumed any. His wife, who had rushed to his side, had confirmed that he hated the oversized citrus fruit and wouldn't go near it. His doctors predicted that there was a good chance that he would recover, but he was not yet out of the woods. After the ceremonial opening, the senators resolved to demand an investigation of the food and drink at the hotel.

After the session adjourned and she was on her way to the airfield, Kate received a text from Castle. "Did you damage your Worldpass card?"

Kate hastily checked her wallet, but the card was in place and unscathed. Puzzled, she called her husband. "Castle, my Worldpass card looks fine, why did you ask?"

"Kate, I know you hate it, but I'm the primary on the account. I got an alert that your card had been tampered with somehow. Worldpass is blocking it and they're going to overnight a new one here. You won't need it until you get home, will you? I can arrange emergency cash at a bank up there if you need it."

"No Castle, I've got cash, and all I'm going to do now anyway is get on Topher's plane. But that is so weird. Some kind of computer glitch?"

"I don't know, Kate. Those cards have the latest technology to prevent scanning. Someone could have tried to steal your info and set off the alert."

The nervous server at the hotel flashed into Kate's mind. "Castle how would someone do that and how long would it take?"

"Kate from the promo literature I received about the card, someone could carry the malicious electronics in a briefcase, a purse, or even a large pocket," Castle related. "They could activate the scan within a radius of twenty feet, maybe more, and steal the information from every unprotected card in range. Information could be stolen from some cell phones too, and some tablets, and even laptops. Not ours, at least not yet. We have the latest encryption. We just upgraded. But the theft from the less protected would be almost instantaneous, a few seconds at most."

Kate closed her eyes to picture the mixer at the hotel. Her attention and that of everyone else in the room had been on Truesdale. No not everyone else, she realized. The server that had set off her cop intuition had managed to slip out. He also had huge pockets on his apron. She wondered if someone had learned of Truesdale's vulnerability, and the server had used it as a distraction for his real purpose, a mass hack. What had he stolen and how much? And from whom?

There was no point for Kate to remain in Albany. The senators would be returning to their home districts until the following week. She climbed aboard Topher's plane and spent the short flight trying to figure out her next move. If she called the other senators or sent them texts or emails, they could be intercepted. She hoped Castle would have an idea.

* * *

Vince Jervais hooked his scanner to his computer and downloaded his stolen information. It had been so fuckin' easy. Franny had tipped him to what pills her boss was on. All he had to do was look up the interactions. Grapefruit practically jumped off the page, beckoning him to use it. It hadn't been hard to slip it in with the other citrus juices used in the ceviche. The difference in taste was was covered by the chili peppers. People expected the food at mixers to be crappy anyway. The participants were supposed to be talking to each other, not stuffing their faces.

He scrolled through the listing of his haul. There were credit card numbers. They might come in handy, but they weren't his main target, just icing on the cake. He wanted contact lists. He needed to know who had some sweet thing on the side. There was nothing like a little blackmail to turn the screws on political blowhards. His employers wanted tax breaks. They wanted to get their own pet legislators in the Capitol. With the information he delivered, they would be able to achieve that and more. And he would have a big payday, a very big payday.

* * *

When Castle met Kate at the airport, he had Lily and the twins with him. While Reese and Jake had been fascinated watching the plane land, Lily was more interested in seeing her mama, even if the separation had been brief. She chattered about upcoming school and musical events, expressing the hope that Kate would be there. Kate had to put off any discussion with Rick until later. Even after the Castles were back at home, Lily hovered near Kate until bedtime.

When they were finally alone, Castle poured out two glasses of Kate's favorite red wine and settled next to her on the couch. "There's been something on the tip of your tongue ever since you got off Topher's flying toy.

Kate explained her speculations that information had been taken from all the senators and that their communications might have been compromised. "So Castle, how do I let them know? I thought about landlines, but hardly anyone has one anymore. Without using cell phones or email, what can I do?"

"Kate, as far as I know, no one has hacked paper yet. We have the addresses of all the other senators. We sent them Christmas cards, nice ones too, from the National Wildlife Federation."

Kate smiled as she recalled the exquisite paintings on the front of the cards. "Right, the wolves. Nothing like keeping the environmental message going. You want to send out 'You've been hacked,' cards?"

I was actually thinking about letters, overnighted with early delivery, or just using a messenger service. I like that new one with the new high powered electric scooters. Very cool. But 'You've been hacked' cards are not a bad idea. They could have a music chip with, oh, a change your password paso doble. I wonder if I could get Lily to write one. There could be invitations to password changing parties too. It could be a whole new thing."

Kate formed a "V" with her fingers and pointed it at Rick's eyes. "Castle, focus. New and amazing ideas in marketing, later. We send out sixty-two letters?"

"Sure," Castle replied. "I's just like sending out personalized campaign solicitations or requests for donations to FTC. We write a template and the computer inserts names and addresses and even prints the envelopes. All you have to do is sign the letters and we stuff them. Then we call the messenger service to come pick them up. They advertise that they work all night. We'll put their cute little tires to the pavement. You should be able to tip off almost all of your compatriots before noon tomorrow."

"Sounds like we have some work ahead of us, Babe."

Castle grinned. "Can't think of anyone with whom I'd rather have a personal stuffing session."

A/N Here's my take on the kids' ages. The boys would have turned six on November 2. Lily is a few months shy of nine. Her birthday is April 16. In the story, it's now early January in 2026. If I'm off, I apologize. It's been 158 chapters of Life Goes On and 52 chapters of Life Goes On 2.


	53. Chapter 53

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 53

Cap Katzenberger stared at the letter from Kate Beckett, with a grunt. This was a lot worse than problems with a hotel kitchen. He had no mistress, but he had political contacts that were private. They all did. He could also think of several senators who could be disastrously compromised on a personal level. Perhaps they deserved to lose their jobs, or their wives for that matter, but the revelations could throw the whole legislative year into chaos, and the fallout would last a lot longer than that. He didn't understand how Kate Beckett had made the leap she had, but then he'd never been a cop. He trusted her instincts. An investigation was going to have to shift into high gear. He pulled out his cell phone, then thought better of it. He'd have to have his meaningful conversations over landlines for a while. What a pain in the ass! This whole affair would be a universe of pain.

* * *

Kate rolled over slowly. The bed beside her was cold. She grabbed her cell phone from the bedside table, to check the time. It was seven A.M.. Castle was obviously getting the kids ready for school. He had to be doing it while sleepwalking. After sending her letters out for emergency delivery, they'd made it to bed in the wee hours. Even then, they'd both been too wired to sleep, and had spent hours just snuggling and talking about nothing, until they could finally settle down. It had turned out to be a pretty great night, but that wouldn't make it a great morning. She sniffed the air for a whiff of coffee. A few molecules found her nose, drawing her from beneath the covers. She slipped into her robe and slippers and shuffled her way to the breakfast room.

Coffee was already on the table and Castle was filling juice cups. He looked down at her droopy eyes and poured a steaming mug for her. "You got a call from Katzenberger on the land line. Our messenger woke him at four A.M., but I don't think he was ticked off at you, just upset about the whole mess. He said he's going to launch a further investigation, the second the session starts. He wants you to call him back sometime this morning."

"You could have woken me up when he called, Castle."

"You just seemed so peaceful, sleeping there, I couldn't bear the thought. And from the look of things, you're not awake yet."

"True," Kate admitted. "I'm counting on your special brew to get me there."

"You get the caffeine coursing through your veins," Castle suggested. "I'm starting the eggs. Lily's already dressed and the twins were getting there when I checked. They'll be in any minute. There are millet muffins in the basket."

As if answering his call, the clomp of small but heavy feet approached. Jake and Reese bumped each other as they came through the door. Their hair was still uncombed, but their buttons were buttoned and zippers zipped. Jake reached for a golden pastry, receiving a dirty look from Lily, who herded him and Reese into their seats. Castle arrived with eggs, white and otherwise, and patties of turkey sausage. While Kate filled plates, he poured his second cup of coffee and appreciatively sniffed the vapors. Trying to spoon jelly onto his muffin, Jake managed to spoon it onto Reese's pants instead. Kate wiped most of the sticky glob off with a napkin and went to get a wet towel to sponge out the rest. She wasn't completely successful.

Reese looked down at the purple stain that had stubbornly resisted her efforts. "It's an Effluvian Grape Beast trying to take over the universe."

Lily rolled her eyes, but Castle made a show of studying the remnants of jelly as well. "Then you must resist its efforts," he counseled Reese. "Perhaps with a new pair of pants armored against Effluvian domination."

Reese started to get up to fetch new clothing. "You can defeat Effluvian domination after breakfast," Kate advised. "We don't need to fight two battles."

Reese sat back down and started on a muffin of his own. "So what battles will Mama be fighting today, besides Effluvian Grape Beasts?" Castle inquired.

"I thought I'd go see Topher and talk face to face about the possible hackings," Kate replied. "I also want to ask him what it would take for me to learn to fly a plane."

"You want to fly a plane?" Castle asked.

"Super cool!" Jake exclaimed.

"What brought this on?" Castle queried. "You didn't say anything last night."

"I didn't think of it last night, Castle, but time," Kate replied. "I'm already saving a lot of it hitching rides with Topher, but he has his own schedule and it won't always jibe with mine. And then later..."

"I get it," Castle acknowledged. "I can start checking out flight schools. Ooh, I'm gonna call Michael Dorn. I flew between cons with him once. He's a terrific pilot."

Kate smiled through her sigh. "You would pick someone from a star ship. But don't go overboard with this yet, okay? There are things much higher on the priority list, and I want to see what Topher says."

Castle saluted. "Roger that, Ma'am."

* * *

Franny Moskowitz met Vince Jervais in the back booth of a coffee shop, too far from the Capitol to be patronized by any staffers working between sessions. "Baby, with Truey still in the hospital, his wife got a letter addressed to him, like three A.M. this morning. She didn't want to upset him, so she passed it on to me. That bitch Kate Beckett figured out what happened to Truey was no accident. Somehow she figured out about the scanner too."

"Any hint she knows who was involved?" Vince pressed anxiously.

Franny shook her head. "There was nothing in the letter. Obviously Betty isn't suspicious of me, or she wouldn't have passed the letter on."

"And she didn't mention any connection to me?" Vince queried.

"Is that all you're worried about?" Franny responded angrily. "Truey almost died. I could have lost my job. The Senate already voted that there should be an investigation of the food at the hotel."

"That was just a resolution," Vince pointed out. Resolutions have no force of law. They're just posturing. It doesn't mean anything is going to happen."

"Well the word I'm hearing is that Cap is really pissed off and he's going to launch an investigation for real, into everything that happened. At the very least, the credit card info won't be worth shit."

"That stuff didn't matter anyway," Vince responded. "We still have what we need for our client. You'd be surprised who some of our 'honorable' senators have been talking to."

"I don't think I would," Franny returned. "I've been around long enough to hear gossip about all kinds of stuff, crooked and just kinky. Are you sure Cap isn't going to be able to track you down? The next step from you is me."

I was a temp at the hotel, working under a false identity. I didn't leave any evidence behind, but even if they did suspect me, they wouldn't have any way to track me down. You have nothing to worry about. Just hang in with Truesdale a little bit longer. Keep me in the loop on whatever you hear. In a couple of weeks I'll have my payoff. The money will be in in the Caymans and we can go lie in the sun while Albany is still freezing. Sound good?"

Franny squeezed his hand with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Sure Baby, it sounds great."


	54. Chapter 54

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 54

As soon as Lily and the twins had been picked up for school, Kate called Cap Katzenberger on the land line number he'd given Castle. Cap picked up immediately. "Yes, Kate. As I told your husband, I got your letter. I want someone from the Senate to be spearheading the investigation, and there's no one more qualified than you."

"Cap, I'm not a cop anymore." Kate protested. "I haven't been for a lot of years."

"But it's obvious that you still think like one and you look at the world like one," Cap argued. "Look, we don't know who might be involved in this. Use outside people. I'll make sure you have all the financial resources you need. And if you need to apply a little pressure to get the information you need, I can help with that too."

Kate chewed her lip. "Normally I'd call upon Richard Castle Investigations, but that could be seen as a conflict of interest since my husband is a partner. But there are operatives whom I trust, who independently contract with RCI. They could be paid directly, completely bypassing my family."

"Fine," Cap agreed. "Just get it going, Kate. I'll push the paperwork through. Track down whomever is behind this, the sooner the better."

* * *

A grin split Topher's face. Kate couldn't help thinking he was a lot like a mutt, the more ugly, the more endearing. "Kate, I was wondering when you'd think about flying lessons, although this was a bit sooner than I'd imagined."

"Why?" Kate questioned.

"I saw the look on your face when you checked out the cockpit. I know that look," Topher explained. "And I don't know that I've ever met anyone as independent as you, except for my wife. You aren't about to let someone else's schedule dictate when you can and can't be with your family. Getting started is not that hard. You can take your ground training online. You only need a seventy to pass the test. That should be child's play for you. But that's when the fun begins. You'll be putting in at least forty hours of flight training, and you'll have to solo. And you'll need medical certification too. Once you get all that done, you'll be tested by the FAA. If you can get enough access to a plane and an instructor, you can probably get it all done before your next term starts, if not sooner. You are running for another term, aren't you?"

"That's the plan," Kate confirmed. "But we could have a hell of a mess to straighten out during this one. Cap wants me to lead the investigation."

Topher nodded. "Good choice on his part. Then I suppose I'd better let you get on with it. I wish I could have been more help, but I don't know Truesdale all that well. He keeps to himself, and he is of the other party. But you know my aide Julie Choo. She talks to Franny Moskowitz. You probably know she's Truesdale's aide. They go to the bathroom together. I'll never figure out why you ladies need company in there."

"And that's a secret we will never reveal," Kate teasingly assured him.

* * *

Reese Perkins and Jake Pullman were back in Albany, under the direct employ of the State Senate, and supervised by Kate Beckett. She had given them a full description of the server who'd disappeared from the mixer after Truesdale collapsed. He'd been identified by the catering manager as a temp, but the information they'd received from the agency who'd employed him turned out to be bogus. The agency did have the contract he'd signed, on file, and Reese dusted it for prints. He was able to run them, using an arrangement Kate had made with the State Attorney General's office. After the employees of the temp agency had been eliminated, there was only a partial print remaining. It was enough. The owner, Vincent Jervais, had never been convicted, but as a college student, he had been charged with the cyber theft of standardized tests. The evidence had just not been strong enough to make the charges stick. Obviously he had continued down a criminal path. Now Reese and Jake just had to figure out where that path had led.

* * *

In a booth in Chelsea's diner in Albany, Julie Choo sat nervously across the table from Kate. "I'm not sure I can help you, Senator Beckett. Sure I know Franny, but most of what we talk about isn't really about work, it's about the frustration in our love lives. You know, always being on call to the boss, having to be in two different cities; it can really cut into a dating schedule. Though lately, I think hers is going a lot better than mine. She said she had a boyfriend, and a few times she was in a hurry to go meet him. I think he's some kind of computer guy. He put some new software on her phone. But I don't really know much about Truesdale."

Kate's eyes narrowed in thought. "That's just fine, Julie. Tell me everything you can remember Franny saying about this boyfriend. Do you know his name? Where he lives?"

"Now that is a strange thing," Julie mused. "Franny didn't really know where he lives. He'd always meet her somewhere. And when they'd - you know - they'd do at her place. He told her he lived with his brother, who is a real slob, and he didn't want to subject her to that. She called him Vince. I never heard a last name."

"Vince," Kate repeated thoughtfully. "Julie, you have been very helpful. Thanks. You want a refill on your chai?"

"Actually, Senator," Julie replied, "that shake you're drinking looks terrific."

* * *

After leaving the diner, Kate met with Big Jake and Big Reese in the privacy of the Castle's Albany house. "So you two uncovered a Vince, and Truesdale's aide has been seeing a Vince. That can't be a coincidence," Kate asserted.

"You're right," Reese agreed. "But where to find Vincent Jervais is the problem. He gave the temp agency a fake identity."

"He probably has more than one," Jake added. "It he's been going around stealing information, he could have credit cards, bank accounts, even apartments in all kinds of names."

"We don't need to know where he is, if we know where he's going. Franny Moskowitz is his eyes and ears in the Senate. He'll want to maintain contact. Get on her and stay on her. Sooner or later, Vince will come to you, and we'll have the state cops pull him in for questioning.

* * *

Castle checked and rechecked the statistics on plane crashes.. He knew in his mind, and confirmed on the screen, that flying was safer than driving. But those statistics included commercial flights and corporate jets. The numbers for small private planes were a lot murkier. Depending on whom was parsing the statistics, they had been as dangerous as cars, if not more so - especially when idiot pilots started taking selfies. Not that Kate would ever do anything that stupid. Things had changed in the last decade for both cars and planes, as sensor technology had improved. The changes were slower to come in smaller planes, as they had been in cheaper cars, but they were there. There just weren't any long term numbers yet. There was one thing of which he was sure. Kate was trying her best to spend as much time as she could with the kids and with him. He would do everything he could to support her in that effort, including buying her a plane. He would just make triple sure it was the safest one he could get. And maybe he'd get his mother to give him a refresher on calming breathing techniques as well.


	55. Chapter 55

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 55

When he heard Kate call to him as she came through the front door, Castle looked up from his research on fraudulent religious leaders. He had changed the thrust of his book, making it a multigenerational saga of religious leaders and their flocks. That necessitated delving into a lot of history, which he found both fascinating and frightening. Even in Jesus' time there had been every reason to suspect that someone preaching salvation might be a false messiah. There were plenty of them running around. Things hadn't changed much. If anything they'd become worse. Two thousand years ago there had been no satellite feed and no social media. Now a talented mountebank could spread a self-serving message in a heartbeat, and in Castle's opinion, a number of them did. Toosmeyer had been a piker compared to some of the so-called ministries out there. It would be a big book, the longest and definitely the most controversial Castle had ever written. Curtis and Strom would be supportive, but with a project that long, they would want very regular updates.

He pushed back from his chair, stretching kinked muscles before he went to meet Kate. "How goes the hunt for the mysterious Vincent Jervis?"

Kate sighed and dropped her tote bag on a chair. "Going nowhere fast, Castle. Big Jake and Reese tried to tap into Franny Moskowitz's phone, but Vince is good. Franny told Julie that he put some new software on it for her. Whatever he did, that phone is secure. Our guys will just have to stay on her until she makes face to face contact with Vince, and God knows when that will be. Topher decided to make a run down here for the two days we're out of session, so I thought I'd come with him. Big Jake is going to give me a call if anything breaks. How's the book coming?"

"Slowly," Castle admitted. He pulled her in for a kiss. "But you've given me an excuse for procrastination, anyway. The kids won't be home for an hour. Care for a snack?" Castle wiggled an eyebrow. "Of one kind or another?"

Kate cupped his already roughened cheek. "Oh Babe, I'd love too. And we can revisit that after the kids are in bed. But right now I have a couple of constituents to call back, and that's as much a part of my job as working on legislation, maybe more."

"Revisit," Castle repeated. "Kate you really are starting to sound like a politico. But yes I understand that you need to do your job. And it looks like I no longer have an excuse to keep from doing mine. So later?"

Kate winked. "Later."

The twins tumbled through the doorway in excitement, even more exuberant when they saw Kate was home. "Latu's Trails is going to do a superhero extra - um - extra..." Reese announced

"Extravaganza," Lily finished.

Reese nodded enthusiastically and continued. "I'm going to work on the scenery!"

"I'm going to be super-doc!" Jake chimed in. "And Lily is writing the music," he added.

"I'm working on it with Kirk," Lily corrected. "The show's going to be about everyday superheroes: doctors, teachers, EMTs, a lot more."

"Ordinary people who do extraordinary things," Castle clarified.

"That's right, Daddy," Lily agreed. "Lagi says that everyone can make a difference in their own way, and that's what it's all about. So everyone in the school is doing something in it, even the real little ones. We're writing sticks and bells into the music so they can play them. Lagi said he's putting the details of what parents can do to help, on the website."

"Daddy and I will make sure to have a look," Kate said.

"Now go keep yourselves busy until dinner," Castle instructed. "I need some time to make Pasta Prima Bearded."

"Bearded!" the twins chorused and ran off to their room. Lily retreated more sedately.

"All right Castle, I'll bite, what's Pasta Prima Bearded?" Kate asked when the kids had disappeared.

"A happy accident," Castle admitted. "And bite you will. I was working on a new gluten free pasta recipe for the twins, with amaranth, tapioca flour, and arrowroot. Too much arrowroot for what I had in mind, I think. The pasta came out all raggedy and Reese said it looked like it had beards. Tasted good though. I put a sauce on it with little dots of pepper and herbs to enhance the effect. So from then on - Pasta Prima Bearded."

"Castle, you never cease to amaze me," Kate laughed.

"For the last eighteen years or so that has been my goal in life," Castle murmured, nuzzling her neck, "but I suppose I should get to producing my hirsute creation. We still have a 'later' coming."

Kate gave a little squeeze to his still firm buttock. "Yes we do."

* * *

Big Jake squirmed a little as he consulted his watch. Reese would be taking over in fifteen minutes. Just as well. He never should have had a second cup of coffee. He had a "HePee," but he much preferred to use a real rest room. A car pulled up down the street from Franny's small apartment in an aging brownstone. It wasn't one Jake had seen in the neighborhood before. He pulled out his folding binoculars to get a better look at the emerging driver. It was Vince Jervis. Finally! But now he really had to go. Fortunately Jervis was still in Franny's apartment when Reese arrived and Jake made a quick trip to a local convenience store.

Returning, Jake slid in beside Reese. "Anything?"

Reese shook his head. "Not a thing. Julie Choo was probably right when she told Kate that they used Franny's place to do the deed. It's been a while. I'd bet they're getting down to it. If we'd planted a bug, it could be picking up some interesting sounds."

Jake snorted. "I can do without listening in on that slime ball's fun time. With his electronics skills, he could pick up on a bug anyway, and it would be game over. Better to do it the traditional way, with a tail."

"A tail?" Reese smirked.

Jake rolled his eyes. "You're not acting much older than your namesake. When he leaves, we follow him. We use both cars and alternate so he doesn't spot us. We find out where he goes, who he talks to, and then we call the cops to pick him up."

"We could call them now," Reese suggested. "They could pick him up and sweat him."

"What if he clams up?" Jake retorted. "He'd hide behind some crooked lawyer and we'd have nothing. Kate would have nothing. It's better to get what we can, first. Besides, she'll be back in a couple of days and she may just want to do the sweating herself. From everything Hayley ever told me about her, she was very good at it."

"Yes, I heard that too," Reese conceded. "Alright. Traditional tag team tailing it is. Hm. That's a nice turn of phrase. Maybe I should see if Rick can use it."

"Don't give up your day job," Jake advised.

* * *

Castle stirred early, and slowly threw his legs over the side of the bed. "What are you doing Babe?" Kate asked, forcing one eye open.

"I just want to catch a shower before the kids are up. I got really sweaty last night. I should probably change the sheets too."

A catlike smile of satisfaction spread over Kate's face as she stretched. "Mm hmm. I'll help."

A/N It's a long time to remember from _Life Goes On_ , but Jake and Reese Castle were named after Jake Pullman and Reese Perkins, after they saved Kate's life when Assange tried to kill her. Thus big and little Jakes and Reeses.


	56. Chapter 56

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 56

"Did you check on what Lagi wants parents to do for the extravaganza?" Kate asked.

"As far as I can tell it's mostly about setup and food. There is going to be a list of materials to be donated too, but he hasn't posted it yet," Castle explained. "I think I can manage to produce three dozen cupcakes easily enough, maybe six or eight dozen depending on how the book is going. If they need art materials for the scenery, we might as well do that too. Reese will probably be using them. But the show isn't supposed to be until March. We have much more immediate things to worry about. Have you heard from Big Jake?"

"He and Big Reese are still tailing Vince Jervis. So far, the guy's been gourmet grocery shopping and went to one of those gaming parlors. Jake said he spent hours there. They've located where he's living. He has a place on the waterfront. Apparently very nice," Kate noted. "Jake sounded a little jealous. There isn't much parking around the houses in the neighborhood, so they're keeping their distance. They've even rented a couple of extra cars so Vince won't see the same one too much."

Castle sighed. "I remember stake outs. Most of mine were probably more fun because I got to do them with you."

"That's sweet Castle, but even with you, they could get pretty tedious. I'm glad I'm out of the game."

"Hardly that, Kate," Castle pointed out. "You're still in charge of the investigation. Once a cop, always a cop?"

"You may have a point, Babe," Kate admitted. "But until Jake and Reese come up with something solid, there's not much to be in charge of. When Topher and I go back to Albany, we'll be working on the budget."

Putting an arm around her shoulders, Castle kissed her hair. "My profoundest condolences."

* * *

Vince Jervis looked around nervously as he left his condo. He hadn't seen anyone, but he knew from Franny there was an investigation going on. He had been very careful, but sooner or later whatever idiots were working for the legislature could luck into something. He wanted to be long gone before that happened. His clients were being way too slow at forking over. He slid into the soft leather driver's seat of his Mercedes. It was time he applied some pressure - up close and personal.

Through a zoom lens, Jake watched Vince descend the stairs of his upscale home and head for his similarly upscale car. Crime paid way too well, but with any luck, Vince would be getting his payback soon. A 2026 Mercedes was not the easiest car to follow unobtrusively. It had all kinds on sensors and a rear view camera. With Vince's apparent love for all things electronic, Jake wouldn't have been surprised if the car had even more bells and whistles than most. He asked his own car's computer to notify Reese to track his GPS, and switch places for the tail.

* * *

Vince drove to a nondescript building on the edge of the city. There was no company name on the building, it was just one of a number in a business complex. The numerical address was one in a range listed at the entrance to the complex. He pulled into an unmarked parking spot.

Reese parked in front of a building on the other side of the central road. He pulled out his phone to search for the ownership of the building Vince had entered. It was listed only under Mumford Holdings Corporation, with no further information. He settled in to wait for Vince to emerge.

Vince punched in his code in the elevator and waited for facial recognition. The car started up on its own, on the quick voyage to the top floor. Vince scowled. Jerry Dreisen was waiting for him. "I was supposed to meet Parser," Vince complained.

"He's busy," Dreisen returned. "He has many things to manage besides your little operation."

"While he's ruling his empire he might manage to pay my little operation," Vince retorted. "The package I delivered was obtained at great personal risk. That does not come cheap."

"Parser is evaluating it. When he concludes, if he concludes, that it is worth the price tag you hung on it, you will be paid." Dreisen asserted.

"It is worth it," Vince insisted. "And if Parser doesn't come across with what we agreed upon, he might find he has some leakage of his own, that no plumber will be able to shut off."

He does not respond well to threats." Dreisen warned.

"Well then consider it a promise," Vince replied. He turned and re-entered the elevator.

"Oh you'll get what's coming to you," Dreisen sneered at the closed elevator doors.

* * *

Reese hunched over the slim convertible tablet he'd used to hook into the Castles' server. The randomly generated password had been a pain in the neck. He'd had to enter it three times before he got it right, but he respected Castle's insistence on security. If the other members of the State Senate had been that attentive to it, he and Jake wouldn't have a job. He began his search with Mumford Holdings. As he'd suspected, it led to a crooked and branching path, but he doggedly followed all the branches, stopping only for brief breaks. Finally he knew he'd have to get some sleep before taking over the surveillance from Jake. He fell into a slumber filled with obscure corporate subsidiaries scrolling down a screen.

* * *

Vince was pissed off. He was more than pissed off. By this time he'd expected his account in the Caymans to be considerably fatter. Every day, Franny was getting more and more anxious to get away from Albany. Of course he wouldn't actually be taking her with him, but she couldn't know that. As long as he was in the states, she was a pretty good piece of ass, not outstanding, but pretty good. When he made it to the islands, he'd have women who were both more nubile and more skilled. With anger threatening to explode from the top of his skull, he decided to work it off killing rival warriors, lots of rival warriors.

Vince was approaching his favorite gaming parlor. Unknown to him, Jake was six cars back. Suddenly a car pulled in front of Vince, blocking his way. His brakes activated automatically, stopping the car just short of a collision. A car slammed him from behind, jerking his neck forward, then back again, against his headrest. A portly woman who had been driving the car behind him, got out of her vehicle and knocked on his window. "Are you all right sir?" she inquired, concern clouding her jowly face.

Shaken but furious, Vince rolled the window down and banged his palms against the steering wheel. "It's a new car, dammit! It's a brand new car!"

"But should I call the EMT's? Are you injured?" The woman pressed.

The last thing Vince needed was some earnest public servant filling out a report. His jaw clenched "No, I'm not injured," he spat.

The woman pulled a silenced gun from beneath her her generous coat and shot him between the eyes. "You are now, asshole."

A/N Whatever you do or don't celebrate, have a great day!


	57. Chapter 57

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 57

Jake couldn't see what had happened ahead, just that the line of cars was stuck. Horns began to blow to no effect, then drivers began to ease around the pile up. Jake drove around it, just far enough to find a place to park, then returned on foot. A siren was screaming in the distance. Jake took a hurried look inside all three cars. The lead and back cars were deserted. He snapped quick pictures of the vehicles, the VINS, and the license plates. The car in the middle was still occupied by the body of Vince Jervis, but if he had a soul, it had long departed. Jake quickly departed himself.

* * *

The woman who walked into Jerry Dreisen's office was svelte, with no hint of jowls, but the eyes were those that had looked through a car window at Vince Jervis. "Is it done?" Jerry asked.

"All taken care of," Mira Roman replied.

"How about the girl?" Dreisen asked.

"Vince was her only contact. She had no idea who he was working for. And she didn't know anything about him, not even where he lived. Better to leave her alone and not take the chance of leaving a trail. That bitch Beckett can press her all she wants, she won't get anything."

* * *

Every line on Kate's face had deepened to a furrow as she Skyped with Big Jake and Big Reese. "So both cars were stolen," she reiterated, "and there's no ballistics match on the bullet that killed Jervis."

"That's it," Reese confirmed. "The cops went to Jervis' apartment. They let us tag along, probably under pressure from the A.G.. The place had been tossed. No electronics, not a scrap of paper, every print wiped clean. No sign of whom he might have been working for or who took him out. They brought in Franny Moskowitz. She claims she doesn't know anything. You can interview her whenever you arrive. She's at State Police Headquarters."

"I'll be getting on a plane with Topher in about an hour," Kate replied. "I'll go directly there. Thanks guys."

* * *

Franny Moskowitz could not remember a worse day in her life. She was out a boyfriend and a job and would probably be going to jail. It was bad enough talking to the cops. But now she was going to have to face Kate Beckett. She'd read all the Nikki Heat novels. If Richard Castle really had based Nikki on Kate, Franny knew she was pretty much doomed.

Kate watched Franny through the one way mirror before she entered the room. The woman was a mess. She had hopelessly smeared her makeup, wiping the sweat and tears from her face. Her skirt was wrinkled where it had been nervously twisted in her hands, and her hair was damp, lank, and lifeless. Clearly, Franny was expecting the worst. Kate would go in the other direction.

Kate entered the room carrying a bottle of water and a doughnut she'd snagged from the break room. She gave them to Franny. "Tough day, I would imagine. Franny, I'm not here to make it any tougher. We already know you were working with Vince. You will pay for that. How much you'll pay, depends on you. I can help you. You just have to give me something to work with."

"But I don't know anything," Franny protested.

"You don't always realize what you know," Kate counseled. "Let's just start from the beginning. How did you meet Vince Jervis?"

Franny sighed. "I don't see how it will help, Senator Beckett, but I'll try. Truey, Senator Truesdale, and I were at Ricci's, you know that little bar near the Capitol?" Kate nodded. "Senator Truesdale doesn't drink, he just likes the wings there. Anyway, we were going over the details on some complaints the Senator got from his constituents. You understand about those." Kate nodded again. "Senator Truesdale had to use the men's room, and while he was gone Vince sent me a drink. He smiled, and I smiled back and we started talking. Then I saw Senator Truesdale coming back and I slipped Vince the number for my cell phone."

"So Vince knew from the start that you worked for Truesdale?" Kate observed.

"Yes, I guess he did," Franny realized. "He gave me a call a few hours later and suggested we get together the next day. After that we started seeing each other regularly, at bars, restaurants, and my place. He helped me with my phone and my computer. I talked about work a lot and I guess I was just so glad to have someone listen. Then he told me that there might be a way I'd never have to work again. He asked me a lot of questions about Senator Truesdale. When I told him I was always having to remind the Senator to take his his pills, he asked me what they were, and I guess you know what happened. Then after that, someone was supposed to give him a lot of money and we were supposed to leave for the Cayman Islands."

"Did he say he had an account there?" Kate questioned.

"He did," Franny confirmed. "And we were going to have enough to live on free and easy for the rest of our lives."

"Did you ever hear him talking to anyone?" Kate queried?"

"I don't think - oh wait. He was on the phone once when I was coming out of the shower. I just heard a few words before he hung up, but I think he called the guy Dreisen."

"Good," Kate acknowledged. "That's very good. That could help a lot."

* * *

Kate, Big Jake, and Big Reese sat around the kitchen table at the Albany house. "I've made some progress on Mumford holdings," Reese reported. "They are actually part of a larger corporation, Enlightenment, with interests all over the country; all over the world, actually. Their largest volume of business is in information systems. They're big on analytics, the kind that were instrumental in flipping the 2016 election. But they have all sorts of subsidiaries: energy, agriculture, mining, financial services, even a chain of retail stores. Their major interest in New York seems to be in organic farming. They bought up a lot of the farms that were doing it, about eleven years ago."

"Sounds pretty innocuous, doesn't it?" Jake commented. "We haven't figured out why they would have an interest in influencing the New York Senate."

"I can," Kate responded. "Organic farming is big business. The mark up is huge compared to regular fruits and vegetables, but there's been a bill proposed that is just starting to make the rounds. At about the same time you mentioned for the buyout, there was a lot of fracking going on in Upstate New York. The farmers there were worried their groundwater would be contaminated, especially the organic farmers. They supplied most of the upper tier dining establishments in the city, whose customers were paying big bucks for organic. They were afraid they'd lose their certifications and their businesses. That's why a lot of them sold out. A few years later the price of oil and gas fell so much that fracking wasn't profitable anymore and most of the operations closed down. The whole issue of contamination in the food drifted off the radar. But there was a cancer cluster in the area recently and the new bill would require analysis of any produce certified to be organic, for a long list of contaminants. There are also some senators that want any produce grown within a hundred mile radius of anywhere where there has been a fracking operation, to be analyzed, whether it is going to be certified organic or not. Not only could that ruin the farming, it could make the real estate a liability. If contamination is discovered, someone would have to pay for remediation. That could be huge dollars. It would be even more if other states use the New York law as a model to pass their own. I can understand why Enlightenment would want to prevent the bill from going any further. So who's behind Enlightenment?"

Reese consulted his notes. "The CEO and major stockholder is Robert Parser."


	58. Chapter 58

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 58

Castle gazed at Kate's frowning face on the screen in his office. "You're doing your imitation of a Sharpei again."

Kate involuntarily put a hand to the furrows in her brow. I can't help it, Castle. I'm pretty sure Enlightenment is behind everything Vince Jervis did, but I just can't prove it. We know Jervis visited Mumford Holdings. Franny mentioned a Dreisen, and there is a Jerry Dreisen running Mumford Holdings, but that still gives us nothing. We can survey the members of the Senate for threats of blackmail, but I don't expect them to admit anything. And even if they did, Enlightenment clearly works through third parties. There may not be a link."

"Kate," Castle pointed out. "You have two investigations. One is of what Vince Jervis did, but the other is Vince Jervis' murder. So treat it like a murder. Mumford Holdings is the last place Vince went. That gives you every excuse to go in there and investigate the place. Dreisen was Jervis' contact. That makes him a murder suspect. And Franny told you Vince had an account in the Caymans, right? You should be able to throw enough weight behind getting the records. Who sent him money? This may not have been his first job for Mumford Holdings. Or perhaps he received payment from some other subsidiary of Enlightenment. Do what you did so well for so long. You solve Vince's murder, find out who did it and who was behind it, you blow the scheme to coerce members of the Senate, wide open."

The lines faded from Kate's face. "Castle, you are right. Killing Vince Jervis may just be the biggest mistake his employer could have made. Now we have a free pass to look into every aspect of his life."

Castle rocked on the balls of his feet and grinned at her. "That is the ass kicking Kate Beckett that captured my heart, and still holds it."

When Kate's face had faded from the screen, Castle returned to the research for his new novel, which he was provisionally calling Holy Snake Oil. Kate wasn't the only one digging up connections to money and power. The religious leaders, even some of the ones who were essentially honest, had been drawn to political leaders, like groupies to rock bands. They'd bathed in the reflected glow of legislative stars and even presidents, delivering the resources and votes of their flocks in exchange for a place in the spotlight. The phenomenon had occurred across political parties, often with generous helpings of bigotry and racism. Unfortunately some things had changed little, the concealing sheets just had a higher thread count. Still as stomach turning as much of it was, there was an almost inexhaustible amount of material on both the swindlers and those who'd fought against them. He could write a saga or a library about them. He just needed characters that the reader could identify with and cheer on as they fought against the sea of slime, across decades and even centuries. The new characters would have the inner fire to seek justice, like Nikki or Derrick, but also a fervor for the revelation of truth. They would be his hardest figures to craft, but perhaps the most satisfying.

* * *

Jerry Dreisen dialed Mira Roman's cell number and waited for her to pick up. "Dammit, the police are coming in here," he exclaimed without greeting. "Everything was supposed to be clean, with no connections to this place."

"Jerry relax," Mira soothed. "They don't know anything they can use. Maybe they traced the GPS on that tricked out car of his and found out he was at the building, but that still gives them nothing. They can't prove he talked to you, or even knows you. We've always used burners, and I grabbed his out of his car after I shot him. It's at the bottom of Lake Erie. Just be polite, helpful, and clueless. You'll be fine."

"I better be," he retorted. "I swear Mira. If I go down for this I'm taking you with me, and Parser too."

"Jerry, no one is going down for anything," Mira asserted. "Just keep your head on straight."

"Easy for you to say," Dreisen ground out, and hung up the phone.

Mira immediately dialed another number. "Robert, Jerry could be a problem."

"Then take care of it," the voice on the other end instructed.

* * *

Kate had seen a lot of Jerry Dreisens. He wore a hand tailored suit with the latest cut and fabric. His shoes were Italian. His hair was styled rather than just cut. He pretended to be relaxed, but there was a telltale curl to his fingers and a dampness at his collar. Her cop escorts had been instructed to give her maximum latitude in questioning Dreisen, and she fully intended to use it. She sat in the deep visitors' chair in front of Dreisen's desk and crossed her legs, letting just enough show through the slit in her skirt to provide a distraction. Dreisen swallowed. "I don't know how I can help you, Ms. Beckett. I have no idea who this Vince Jervis character you're talking about is. I never heard of him until you mentioned his name. You say he came here? Perhaps he was dropping off something for one of my employees, or stopped in front the building by mistake. I could certainly put out an intra-office email and see if anyone knows anything about him."

"It's Senator Beckett," Kate corrected, "and you're sure you've never heard of Vince Jervis, Mr. Dreisen?"

"Quite sure, Senator Beckett," Dreisen confirmed.

"You know, Jerry," Kate replied, "there's an incredible coincidence. You see, we have a witness who saw Jervis enter this building and spend some time here before coming out again. We have another witness who heard Jervis talking on the phone to a Dreisen. It's not a common name. Is there another Dreisen here, maybe a brother or a cousin?"

Dreisen swallowed again. "N-n-no. I'm the only one here, but Senator Beckett, your witness must have been mistaken."

Kate smiled sweetly. "I don't think so Jerry. You know what I think? I think you're lying to me. And you know what that means, Jerry? It means that you are obstructing both a Senate and a police investigation. Double whammy, Jerry. Those nice officers out there might even use two sets of cuffs on you. Unless you'd like to rethink your answer."

"I'm not saying anything else without a lawyer," Dreisen insisted."

"If I were you, I'd hire a good one," Kate counseled.

Kate returned to the Albany house for the night to get her thoughts together. She'd just scavenged left over pizza from the refrigerator and done her best to crisp it in the oven, when her land line rang. As she picked it up, she heard Topher's voice. "Kate, I need to talk to you. I have a problem."

"Is there something wrong with the plane?" Kate inquired.

"The plane is fine Kate. But I made a mistake a while back and information linking me to that mistake was still in the memory of my phone somehow. I've been contacted. I don't know what to do. If this gets out, I could lose my wife. Kate, she's everything to me. I just couldn't handle it."

Kate chewed her lip, the pizza forgotten. "I'll be right there."


	59. Chapter 59

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 59

Kate met Topher at the studio apartment he occupied during his time in Albany. He motioned her to a seat at the table in the tiny eating area. "Kate, I don't know where to begin."

"Take your time, Topher," Kate urged. "Begin at the beginning."

Topher swiped a hand over his face. "I guess that would be in school- elementary school. I grew up with a single mother. She worked. She worked very hard, but she earned just enough so that we didn't qualify for any kind of public assistance. We scraped by. The only time I got any new clothes was when the old ones were bursting at the seams, and even then, they came from the discount store or Good Will. We had food in the house, but just the necessities. There were no snacks or desserts. I always wanted to buy cake or pie in the school cafeteria, but I couldn't afford it. I had peanut butter and jelly, or bologna sandwiches, whatever kind of bruised fruit was on sale, and I bought milk to drink. God Kate, I still hate milk.

"I would look at the other kids. Some of them were on welfare. They qualified for free lunches, hot ones. I thought their clothes were nicer than mine. I was jealous. I couldn't understand why they deserved more than I did.

"I wasn't the most popular kid, either. Now, my face would make Ernest Borgnine look handsome, and I wasn't much better as a kid, just skinnier. You know how cruel kids can be. They would stand behind me talking about how ugly I was. They'd pretend to whisper, but they knew I could hear them. I came to believe that the world was an unfair place, where everyone had something - looks, money, friends - except me.

"When I got older and started working on political causes, I was against anything I thought of as a give away: food stamps, special ed - everything. I had a lot of company. You remember that time. There was the whole gang who wanted to shrink government down to where it could be drowned in a bath tub. I was with them all the way.

"There was one group of supporters funding the causes I was passionate about. They were big into real estate. They wanted to do some development in downtown New York. But they needed to get rid of one building that was standing in their way, a school for the blind, one that specialized in teaching the arts."

"Your wife's school?" Kate assumed.

Topher nodded. "Lindy went there as a child, and then when she grew up, she taught there. She was passionate about the place. She still talks about it every day as having given her a meaningful life. But I didn't know her then. I just knew that school stood in the way of what my people wanted. I worked to have it seized by eminent domain. I took away the thing in the world that Lindy loved the most and replaced it with expensive condos and boutiques.

"Then one day I was at a campaign event at a hotel. There was a little art show going on in the lobby, and I saw a sculpture. It was of a a child, but not a beautiful or cute child like you usually see in paintings or illustrations. The nose was too big. The chin was too small. The brow protruded too much. It was almost as if it had been a sculpture of me. I was told the artist was there, and I wanted to meet her. It was Lindy. At first I didn't even realize she was blind. It seemed like she was looking right at me, or really, into me. We've been together ever since.

"I've changed a lot, Kate, besides not being skinny anymore. Being with Lindy has changed me. I no longer believe that children should go hungry because I don't approve of their parents. I've come to understand how important the arts can be. But I still get calls from my old associates. They want favors, and sometimes those favors can even bring some jobs into my district. Some of their numbers, some documents from them, must have been on my phone. Whoever saw them, traced them down and knows what I did, Kate. They're threatening to tell Lindy. They want me to block the food analysis legislation. They want me to approve the poisoning of children! I hate the thought of doing that, but I can't lose my wife either."

"Topher, we are going to get these guys, but the only power they have over you is what you see as a terrible secret. Secrets can be the most destructive things on earth to a marriage. Believe me I know," Kate confided ruefully. "They almost destroyed mine. But it is also amazing how much you can forgive someone you love. You would not believe what Rick and I have had to forgive each other for. If anything, it's made us stronger. Tell Lindy the truth. Tell her before she hears it from someone else. If she loves you the way you love her, and I think she does, she will forgive you. And the weight of all that guilt will be off your shoulders."

Topher's shoulders slumped. "I suppose you're right. And I should do it in person. I'm going to fly back to the city at first light. The budget wrangling can go on without me. I hate to leave you stranded though."

Kate put a calming hand on his shoulder. "You're not. Rick is going to bring the kids up for the weekend. My investigations have always gone better when he and I could put our heads together anyway. Do what you have to do."

Intending to return to her Albany house, Kate slid into the driver's seat of her car, but instead of starting the ignition, pulled out her cell to Facetime Castle. As his face came on screen, furrows of concern flanked the bridge of his nose. "Something wrong, Kate?"

Kate smiled at the earnestness in the gray blue depths of his eyes. "No Babe, I just wanted to see that ruggedly handsome face."

* * *

Relief flowed through Jerry Dreisen when Carl Duggan entered the interrogation room where Jerry had been sequestered for hours. "Carl, thank God! I was beginning to think the company wasn't going to send anyone."

"Relax, Jerry," Carl urged. "I was out of town. It just took a little while for me to get back in." Distaste twisted Carl's thin lips. "The corporate jet was tied up and I had to fly commercial. But I'm going to get you out of here. You haven't said anything, have you?"

"Of course not," Jerry replied, squaring the shoulders of his expensive suit. Carl didn't need to know just how close Jerry had come to telling the cops to call the D.A. so he could make a deal.

Carl nodded approvingly. "Fine. You just sit tight for a while."

Jerry sat tight for another two hours, except for the five minutes when a cop escorted him to the men's room. Finally Carl returned. "We're out of here," he announced. "Bet you'd like a drink, maybe a steak, something you can get your teeth into?"

"You have no idea!" Jerry responded.

"I know just the place," Carl assured him. "It's a private club. Best red meat in town."

Carl drove to a group of buildings on the outskirts of town and ushered Jerry into an unmarked storefront. Mira was sitting comfortably at a table, an espresso in front of her. She smiled. "Jerry, come in. We have a lot to discuss." Jerry slid into the seat opposite her, next to Carl. A waiter brought coffee and massive rib eyes with potatoes overflowing with butter. A full bodied house wine was poured into crystal goblets. When he wasn't chewing, Jerry complained about every moment spent with the police. Carl apologized again and offered to drive him home.

Halfway to his place on the water, Jerry Dreisen felt very dizzy. Mira's name pushed through his lips just before he passed out.


	60. Chapter 60

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 60

Kate and Rick watched as the twins built a fort in the lake effect snow, while Lily put the finishing touches on a snow-woman. "This was the perfect weekend to come up here," Castle declared. "There was nothing in New York but rapidly graying slush. If there's going to be frozen precipitation, the kids should have a chance to enjoy it."

"I'm glad someone's enjoying something," Kate remarked. "Dreisen's death has put the brakes on my investigation again."

"I would have thought a new murder would have opened up a new trail," Castle offered.

"it would have," Kate agreed, "but I got a call just before we came out here. Dreisen's death is being ruled an accident. They found him floating in the water near his condo. There was water in his lungs. He really did drown. And the results of the tox screen came back positive for diazepam and alcohol. The two would have interacted to make him dizzy, or maybe even pass out. The coroner decided that he just fell in the water."

"Just fell in the water," Castle repeated. "Dreisen would have known about drug interactions. That's what Vince Jervais used to make Truesdale a diversion. Accident my ass!"

"And a great ass it still is, Babe, but there's nothing I can do about the coroner's ruling. The bank records are stuck in red tape too. Topher may be able to provide an opening, but until he gets back, this investigation is as dead in the water as Dreisen is."

"Well then maybe that's a good thing," Castle suggested. "You can use a break, at least a mental one. We both can. I redid the outline of my book yesterday. It was some heavy going. The traveling superhero exhibit is at the Museum of Science and Innovation this weekend. All the kids will like it. It includes theme songs. It might give Lily some inspiration for the extravaganza at Latu's Trails. And we will both get the chance to sit on our magnificent asses in the planetarium too. Between snow and superheros we can tire our precious darlings out enough for an early bedtime for them and a snuggle for us tonight."

"Castle, that sounds great. I just hope we have another set of dry mittens for the boys," Kate worried.

Rick trilled chilly air through vibrating lips. "Please! Whom do you think you're talking to? I brought six!"

* * *

The Castles waited for the next docent to arrive to take them on a guided super tour. Castle's eyes widened at the only slightly hunched, tall, white haired figure that strode toward them, a lanyard with a museum ID around his neck. "I'll be your docent," the man announced.

"I've seen you before, in New York," Lily announced. "you came to my concert."

"Little lady, if you're talking about New York City, I'm afraid you're mistaken," The man explained. "Never been there. Only lived in Albany a couple of years. Moved here from Chicago to be with my kids."

Castle could hear the Midwestern vowels in the man's voice, but Jackson Hunt could have adopted those as part of an identity. Hell, he could have adopted anything. Castle stared into the face, so like his father's. There were some differences. The lines weren't quite so deep in his face. There was a little more white in the brows, but the little scar Hunt had on the left brow was missing. Rick gazed at badge laying on the man's chest. "Mr... McDermott, my daughter is correct about having seen someone who looks a lot like you. You wouldn't by any chance have a twin, or an identical cousin?"

"I had a twin brother, but he was MIA in Vietnam. After all these years, he's been assumed to be dead. Are you telling me he's alive somewhere?"

Castle shrugged. "It was probably just a coincidence. How could someone have been alive all that time and not contacted his family? I'm sorry if my daughter upset you."

An eerily familiar grin came over McDermott's face. "No harm done done. Let's go uncover all the secrets of the superheroes, shall we?"

The twins bounced in unison. "Yeah!"

* * *

Rick threw another log into the fireplace before he and Kate settled under a blanket on the couch. They both held glasses of scotch. "Castle, I think Steven McDermott is your uncle. We both know the CIA did a lot of recruiting in Vietnam. Hunt told you his name is made up, right? It could easily be McDermott. Being MIA would have been a perfect cover for his disappearance. And he wouldn't have contacted his brother, anymore than he contacted you, until he was forced to by Alexis' kidnapping. Our kids don't know he's their grandfather. It would also help to explain why we have twins, if they run in the family."

"Kate, I agree with you. I have an uncle I never knew about. But what do you expect me to do about it? The kids don't know Hunt is their grandfather, for their own safety. If we were to let McDermott know that his brother is alive, it would put him, and any family he has in danger too. He could have children, grandchildren, and even great grandchildren by now. If he does, they are our family too, and I don't want to put them in harms way. Look how close Alexis and I both came to getting killed, just because Hunt's my father."

"But you're curious, aren't you?" Kate pressed.

"Of course," Castle admitted. "I'm going to check McDermott out. And if there is a family, and they need help in some way, well they may just have a mysterious benefactor."

Kate snuggled into his shoulder. "I knew it."

* * *

Topher Michaelson felt the bed depress beside him as Lindy climbed in. It was late, probably around three in the morning. Always in complete darkness, the hour never made much of a difference to Lindy. She accommodated the others around her for mealtimes and meetings, but on her own, she would often sculpt through the night, enjoying the relative quietude. She didn't cuddle against his back, as she usually did, but she was with him. That was progress. "Do you forgive me?" Topher whispered.

Lindy reached out a hand to feel for his arm. "I'm working on it. We can talk again before you go back to Albany."

"The land line at the Albany house rang on Sunday night. Castle and the kids had left a few hours earlier to return to New York. Kate picked it up. "Kate, it's Topher, I'm back in Albany."

"How'd things go with Lindy?" Kate asked.

"Rocky," Topher admitted. "But she and I will work it through. Whatever it takes. We both want to. But right now we both also want to take down whoever is behind all of this. So listen, I want to set up a meeting with my contact, get something we can use."

"Topher, that's dangerous," Kate warned. "There are already two people dead, Jervis and his contact Dreisen."

Kate heard the gulping of air at the other end of the line. "I hadn't heard about Dreisen."

"You had enough going on. I wasn't about to dump that on you," Kate explained. "And officially his death is an accident. But if you believe that, I've got a bridge in Brooklyn."

"Yes I've seen it, but I'm still paying for my plane," Topher joked weakly. "Kate I still want to do it. I need to put this whole mess behind me, as fast as I can."

"Alright Topher," Kate agreed reluctantly. "You go ahead and set up your meeting, but I have two really good people who will have your back every step of the way."


	61. Chapter 61

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 61

Topher joined Mira Roman at her table at Le Chanticleer. Big Jake and Big Reese were at other tables, far removed from the one where Topher sat, but could communicate with him and hear every word that was said through a com deep in Topher's ear. "So what exactly is it you want me to do?" Topher asked.

"It's very simple," Mira explained. "You are on the committee that will be considering the Analysis of Food Bill, are you not?" Topher nodded. "You merely have to introduce a motion to table it and induce enough of your fellow committee members to vote yea."

"On what basis?" Topher asked. "That bill is meant to protect children. How do I explain to my constituents, how would any of us explain to our constituents, how we can close our eyes to potential harm to their kids?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Mira chided. "It's been done for years! Coal sludge in water, pesticides, pipelines leaking into rivers, it's all justified the same way. Business, or in this case farmers, can't afford the fix. If the legislation is passed, The farms will close down. Jobs will dry up. Communities will die."

A lot of the farms have closed down already," Topher argued. "Right now you're looking substantially at the development of real estate."

"That is true," Mira conceded, "but the argument holds just as well for development. It's all about bringing jobs and prosperity to the communities. The bill is too harsh, too unrealistic. It needs to be re-written to grandfather in things that are too expensive to address. I could provide you with dozens of examples where it's been done before. Senator Michaelson, you live in the real world. It's always about the money. Your colleagues will easily go along with that - just like they did about that school."

Topher felt his throat tighten. "I get your message," he replied.

"Good," Mira responded. "Now you must try the _coq au vin_. It's truly excellent."

* * *

While he continued the conversation on his cell phone, Castle used the big screen in his office to enlarge the image of the woman who had met with Topher. "Kate, she's altered her appearance. I lived with my mother long enough to know theatrical makeup when I see it. I think she's both younger and thinner than she looks in the photo. I believe Alexis has some software at RCI that can strip away the artifice. I'll ask her to send you a corrected image. Perhaps that would be more successful with facial recognition."

Kate knew she could always count on Castle to come up with the hidden clue. "Great Babe, thanks. I love you."

"Of course you do," Castle teased.

"While we're waiting Alexis to do her magic, what do we know about the woman?" Kate asked Big Jake as they sat over breakfast at her Albany house after her exchange with Castle.

Jake read his notes from his tablet. "The car she was driving was leased to a company called Special Services. It's not a subsidiary of Enlightenment, but it is a contractor. It was an asterisk in the financial statement they filed with the SEC. We followed her to a hotel in Malta. Lotta money there. She's on the eighteenth floor, of the Maltese. Reese is keeping an eye on the place now, but he's had to hang way back. The Maltese has quite a security force. I checked on the ownership of it too. It belongs to Mumford Holdings. Everything ties into Enlightenment."

"And what do we know about the executives there?" Kate queried.

"They all have the usual corporate profiles," Jake reported. "You know, Wharton or some other high class business school. Worked their way up through various executive positions. Golfers, trophy wives. The CEO Robert Parser is the exception. He came up through the computer world. He has undergraduate degrees in computer science and physics and a PhD. in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was recruited into finance for his skill at analytics and built up the most successful hedge fund in the world. Then he started a company to apply analytics to politics. He is extremely good at getting people elected, and not the people most of us would like to see in office."

"So you're suggesting that you think there's a link between our mystery woman and Robert Parser?"

Jake put his tablet on the table. "I'd put money on it. Hell, I'd put money in his hedge fund if I had the qualifying millions - and if he wasn't such a scuzzball."

Kate's phone dinged an alert. "That was fast! This is the image from Alexis." Kate held it up for Jake to see.

"Definitely a changed woman," Jake observed. "I'll transmit it to the A.G.'s office to run."

* * *

Steven McDermott pulled a battered wooden box from the top of his closet. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he opened it and examined the contents. There were pictures of him and his brother through the years. Despite their identical appearance, their personalities had diverged very early. Kiley had always loved active games like cowboys and Indians and playing soldier. He had begged for a gun at an early age and soon won every possible award for sharpshooting. Even when very young, he was fearless: sledding down the steepest hills and climbing the tallest trees. Before his growth spurt made him imposing, he'd still stood up to the biggest bullies at school. He was exhilarated by the thought of war. He hadn't waited to be drafted. He'd enlisted in the army and set his sights on the special forces.

Steven had done none of those things. He had been the school egghead, his interest in combat limited to a chess board. His holster had held not a gun, but a slide rule. A scholarship to college had earned him a student deferment. Then his asthma had made him 4-F. Steven had also studied history. He'd considered a war in Indochina neither justified nor a good idea. When the enemy had started using guerrilla tactics, he'd been, sure of it. He'd participated in demonstrations against the war. When Kiley proudly strutted in his uniform, Steven had felt a paralyzing chill. He took the news of Kiley's disappearance and subsequent assumed death with a sense of inevitability. His brother had been trying to get himself killed practically since the day he was born. The chance that he could be alive seemed unlikely at best.

Yet, the father of that little girl looked familiar. Later Steven realized he'd seen the face on a book jacket, several book jackets in fact. He was the famously fatherless Richard Castle. But there was something else around the eyes that was like what he and Kiley had looked like when they were younger. And Castle's twin boys had it as well. Steven stared at the pictures from his box again and brought up a picture of Richard Castle on his phone. Yes, he could still see it. Could his brother be alive? Could he have fathered a son? If that beautiful little girl was his grand niece and those boisterous twins were his grand nephews, he wanted to know. He needed to get in touch with Richard Castle. The internet listed Castle's agent in New York, Paula Haas, as his contact, but there was someone a lot closer. Castle's wife Kate Beckett was serving as a State Senator right there in Albany. There was no information about where she stayed when the legislature was in session, but it would be easy enough to get a message to her through the Senate offices in the Capitol. Steven decided to request a meeting. He had no idea why if his brother was alive, he would be keeping it a secret, but he needed to find out.


	62. Chapter 62

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 62

It was late afternoon and Big Jake had taken Big Reese's place staking out their mystery woman at the Maltese. Reese was roused from a much needed nap by an alert from his phone. Springing up, he went to seek Kate, who had been at the Albany house since a budget session ended a couple of hours earlier. "We have a hit on facial recognition," Reese announced. "Ninety percent match."

"Considering her skill in disguising herself, that's great," Kate offered. "Alexis has some incredible software."

"Yes she does," Reese agreed. "It's part of her legacy from Hayley."

A tinge of sadness passed quickly over Kate's face before her focus returned to the case. "So who's our mystery woman?"

"Her name is Mira Roman. There should be a PDF of her file coming through any...yeah, there it is. I'll send it to the printer."

Kate pulled the stack of paper from the output tray of the laser printer in the small office of her home away from home. "Hmm, she's never been convicted of anything, but she has an interesting history. In high school she was suspected of hacking into the computer system and stealing exams, but it was never proven. When she went on to college at Michigan State, she had a double major in political science and computer science. Oh, that's where she might have crossed paths with Parser. I think I remember from his bio that he was a guest lecturer there and endowed a chair."

"That's right," Reese confirmed.

"She was also in several college theater productions, that's probably how she learned her makeup skills. While she was at MSU, she was suspected of being behind a ring that dug up dirt on professors and blackmailed them to change grades, but that was never proven either. The whole thing was veiled behind layers of encryption and fire walls. Then when she graduated she set up her own operation, Special Services, officially as a political consultant, unofficially as a fixer. She was suspected of using questionable means including a murder, several times, but again nothing stuck."

"Nothing is sticking this time either," Reese noted.

"Oh it will," Kate assured him. "With Topher's testimony, backed up by what you and Jake heard, we've got her for violation of Penal Code 135.65." Reese's brows rose questioningly. "Coercion in the first degree. Using threats to compel someone to violate his or her duty as a public servant. It's a class D felony. She could get up to seven years in jail. All those years with the law books weren't for nothing. Without a prior conviction, a judge would normally only give her probation, but we can do better, with the intervention of the D.A.. We can use the charge as a club to get her to roll on Parser. And while we have an excuse to tear her life apart, if we can tie her to Vince Jervais' murder all the better. And a link to Dreisen would really seal the deal. I'll get the cops to pick her up."

* * *

Mira was confident. No one had ever been able to trip her up. She couldn't imagine how the police had even managed to pick her up, but there were plenty of screws she could turn, very high placed screws. They'd never be able to keep her. She recognized the woman who came in the room and sat across the table from her. It was Senator Kate Beckett, the pain-in-the-ass ex-cop Katzenberger had assigned to conduct his little investigation. Well she'd dealt with lots of cops. She could deal with Beckett too, but she wished the bitch would say something, instead of just paging through a file.

Glancing up through her lashes, Kate watched Mira as they sat in silence. Mira had started out as self assured and cocky, but as they sat, Kate could see the bold demeanor begin to slip. Mira's tongue rounded lips that had become dry. Then there was just the hint of a sheen on her nose and forehead, and finally the telltale shift in her chair, indicating her bladder was sending uncomfortable signals. It was time to begin. "Get your kicks threatening public officials, Mira?"

Mira crossed her arms in front of her chest, the defensive gesture another mark on Kate's mental checklist. "I have no idea who you're talking about, or who you are," Mira insisted.

Kate shook her head. "Two lies in one sentence. I suppose obstruction could be added to the coercion charge. I can't believe a political consultant, especially one who appears to be working in Albany, wouldn't know her state senators. But just for the record, I'm Kate Beckett. I represent the district next to Christopher Michaelson's, with whom you are well acquainted."

Mira crossed her arms more tightly. "I still have no idea what you're talking about."

"I am talking about your attempt to blackmail Topher Michaelson into blocking a bill. We not only have his testimony, but that of two witnesses. And don't even think about a revenge call to his wife. Sorry, but she knows all about the little transaction you were holding over his head. You have no power here, Mira. We have you on a felony. But I don't really care about pissant felonies. I spent a lot of years as a homicide cop and I can smell a murderer. In fact, I detect that scent in this room. I think that you're behind the murder of Vince Jervais. Not that he was any great loss to this world, but the penalty is the same for killing scumbags as it is for killing saints, and I'm going to dig into every aspect of your existence until I find the evidence. And then there's Jerry Dreisen. If he didn't just fall into the water, and I don't think either of us believes he did, I'm going to look for your fingerprints on his death too. I'm going to have you buried so deep and for so long, that if you ever see the sun again, you won't recognize it."

Mira's breath was coming in short gasps and she visibly squirmed in her chair. "I have to use the ladies room."

"I'll bet you do," Kate replied. "I'll have an officer escort you. But think about this before you piss what's left of your life away. You can help yourself. Give us the people you're working for and you might just get the chance to see a patch of sky again someday." Kate signaled to the cop outside the door.

While Mira was gone, Kate surveyed the messages on her phone. There was one to call a Steven McDermott. Damn! That was the name of the docent who could be Hunt's brother. She'd been hoping that incident would go no further than Castle keeping tabs on the welfare of his possible family members. But obviously the genetic strain of stubborn curiosity ran deep in her husband's relatives. She needed to talk to Castle before calling McDermott back, but she had no time. She knew peeing while a police officer looked on would be an additional stressor for Mira Roman. The denial of privacy at the most vulnerable moments was a standard tool for keeping criminals in line. When the woman returned, Kate would up the pressure. Mira would give up Robert Parser or whoever else was involved. She wasn't the loyal type, and she was too interested in self preservation to do anything else.


	63. Chapter 63

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 63

Castle was startled as he heard a familiar voice behind him. "Son."

He turned in his office chair and rose quickly. "How did you … never mind! What are you doing here, Dad?"

"You've made contact with my brother. I was afraid something like that might happen when you started spending so much time in Albany. He's been trying to get in touch with Kate. You know what can happen if he finds out I'm alive and tries to make contact with me."

Castle's computer chimed an alert to an incoming Skype. "That's Kate now," Rick noted.

"Good!" Hunt responded," "I won't have to say anything twice."

"Babe," Kate began. "Oh Hunt! That figures. I got a message that Steven McDermott is trying to reach me. I assume that's the reason for your visit to Castle."

"It is," Hunt confirmed. "As you no doubt realized, Steven McDermott is my twin brother. I've been keeping an eye on Steven and his family for years, just like I've been keeping an eye on Richard and your family. But he can't be allowed to believe I'm alive. The agency has gone to a great deal of trouble over the years to prevent it, and so have I. It's not just his life at stake. He has two sons and a daughter, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. A connection with me could put any of them at risk. You know that."

"We understand it, Hunt," Kate agreed. "Alexis and Rick were made quite painfully aware of it. But obviously your brother has questions. He didn't just accept a mistaken identity story. We'll need something a lot better than that to convince him."

"How about my remains?" Hunt proposed. "I could have the military contact him and tell him that the South Vietnamese government just discovered them and handed them over. We throw in my dog tags and some disintegrating clothing with my DNA on it, in case he demands a test. Then I'm dead for good, and he's protected."

"Wouldn't the timing seem a little odd?" Castle questioned. "He gets doubts about you being dead, and all of a sudden your remains show up. I'd be suspicious."

"You're right," Hunt conceded. "Suppose you and Kate agree to use your contacts to start an inquiry? Then it turns out that the Vietnamese have been holding back the remains of several MIAs. There were some that showed up recently in an operation to clear minefields. No one had been near them before without getting blown up. There are some negotiations going on to send them back. The Vietnamese want to do some sort of technology trade. The agreement is very close to completion. We'll just have to make sure everything times out convincingly."

"Then you're going to have to be more careful too," Castle advised. "This whole thing started because Lily spotted you. Until she's old enough to understand the importance of keeping a secret and has the ability to do it, she can't see you again, and neither can the boys. Reese would probably draw you, and that would set Lily off again."

"I get the message, son," Hunt acknowledged. "I will keep my distance." His eyes crinkled at the corners. "But I might ask you for some video of my grandchildren, upon occasion."

A smile tweaked Castle's lips. "I think I can manage that."

* * *

"What the hell do you mean Mira's been arrested?" Robert Parser demanded of his assistant.

The blonde and buff Garth Metzler stood his ground. "She was arrested on charges of coercion," Garth replied calmly. "Apparently Senator Michaelson was not the easy mark she had assumed. They're holding her as long as they can without arraigning her, so we can't bail her out. Duggan tried to put together a writ of habeas corpus to get her into court, but apparently she waived counsel. He has no standing. Word is, Mira's had several long conversations with Kate Beckett, and the D.A. sat in on one of them.

Parser angrily paced the Edward Fields carpet that covered the floor of his office. "We can't let this come near me. Destroy any sign that she was ever here, including any security video. Redo any vouchers to Special Services so they name another company, and purge all our records."

"How about the SEC filings, sir?"

"Damn! Those are all over the web. We haven't filed the latest quarterly yet. Just make sure Special Services doesn't appear. At least there won't be a trail of contact during this affair. And make sure that our people understand that the merest mention of Mira Roman or Special Services will mean their jobs or worse. And that includes you."

Garth's eyes hardened. "Yes sir. I understand."

"And Garth, if Mira is released, she is going to jump bail. She is going to jump so far that no one will ever find a molecule of her DNA again,"

"Yes sir," Garth agreed once more, before leaving Parser's office.

Garth settled in the over-sized desk chair in his glorified cubicle. No one in the building except Parser had a real office. Parser liked to keep close tabs on his people, and offices were too private. Garth knew his computer would be monitored, as well as his phones. He was pretty sure his time was limited. Parser wanted all traces of contact, at least recent contact, with Mira Roman destroyed. Garth was one of those traces. He had no doubt that after he did Parser's dirty work, his contact with the world would come to an end, just as Mira's would if any of Parser's other operatives could get near her. He had spent enough time protecting Parser's ass. It was time to protect his own. He would gather the records Parser wanted destroyed, but they would be his bargaining chip with Senator Kate Beckett and with the D.A.. He would need protection, and they would have to give it to him.

* * *

Kate leaned back in the her chair in her Albany home office and rubbed her eyes. She'd been going over the transcripts of her discussions with Mira Roman. To save herself, Mira was more than willing to throw Robert Parser under the bus. The problem was that Mira was a co-conspirator. The testimony of a co-conspirator would not be enough to convict him. She needed corroborating evidence. That meant a thorough investigation of Parser and the operations of Enlightenment, something he would no doubt fight with an army of lawyers and the endless resources he controlled. Relevant records could be destroyed and the inquiry could be buried in irrelevant ones for years. She needed another break, and she had no idea where it was going to come from. In the meantime, Mira was squirreled away in a safe house. But safe houses had to be guarded, and guards could be compromised. Who knew how long Mira could be kept out of the reach of Parser's forces? Kate had assigned Big Jake and Big Reese as back up to the cops. No matter how distasteful it was to them to protect Mira, Kate knew she could trust them. That would buy her some time, but she had no idea how much.

It was also time, past time, to give Steven McDermott a call. She had nothing but sympathy for him. It had been impossible for her to stay away from the investigation of her mother's death. If he believed Hunt to be alive, it could be equally impossible for him to let it go. She also felt sorry that Castle couldn't get to know such a large part of his family. But there was no other way, at least for the moment. Hunt was getting up in years, and his body had sustained countless insults throughout his career. As she knew well, such things had a way of catching up to you. Perhaps, sometime in the not too distant future, when revenge against Hunt was no longer an issue, the truth could be revealed. But for now, if ignorance was not bliss, it was certainly safer.

A/N Have a good, or at least better, new year everyone!


	64. Chapter 64

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 64

Castle's head seemed to weigh a ton as it rested on his arms at his desk. He had finally finished the first few chapters of Holy Snake Oil, setting up the story, and he was tired. No, he was exhausted. Even though the Senate had been in session only two days, it had been more than a week since Kate had been home, and he had been supporting her investigation from afar. He'd also been making sure that Lily made it to her newest music classes, Reese made it to his art classes, and generally riding herd on his brood. He wanted a good night's sleep, but he didn't want it in an empty bed. Unfortunately he had no choice in the matter. He thought about taking the kids up to Albany again that weekend, but he wasn't sure he had it in him. And chances were that even if he did, Kate would be too busy and preoccupied to spend much time with the family.

* * *

Kate flopped on the couch with her forearm over her eyes. She was exhausted. Between the investigation, the complications with Hunt's brother, and the budget meetings, energy was being wrung from her like the twisting of the tendrils on a mop. Big Jake and Reese had moved to a hotel closer to Mira Roman's safe house, so she was alone. The walls seem to echo her internal emptiness. If she had the wherewithal, she'd climb into bed. But without Castle, it would be cold, lonely, and hardly worth the trouble.

She wanted to go home. She wanted to hear Lily's music drifting through the house. She couldn't believe how much she missed the sound of the twins' squabbling. Topher was already back in New York, and had been for a couple of days. There was no chance of a quick flight to the city, even if she could make it off the couch. The thought of learning to fly herself was even more compelling, if she could ever find the time for it. She suspected it might have to wait for June when the legislature was out of session. And that was assuming her investigation would be wrapped up. She felt the weight of her body sinking into the cushions, and she was lost in oblivion.

Kate fished her buzzing phone from her pocket and looked at the time displayed on the screen. Ten o'clock at night? No, the sun was streaming into the house and the date was wrong. It was ten o'clock in the morning. She couldn't believe she'd slept that long. The call was from the D.A.'s office. They'd had a witness come forward who claimed to have evidence against Robert Parser, but he would only talk to Senator Beckett.

Kate surveyed her wrinkled pants and even more wrinkled blouse. She imagined there were a few marks on her face from the nubby texture of the upholstery as well. She needed a shower, a change of of clothes, and something to fill the gaping maw in her stomach. But most of all she needed to call Castle and tell him it looked like they might be getting a break after all.

Castle was on his third cup of extra strong coffee. The kids had been off to school for a couple of hours. He was attempting to edit out the panoply of errors his muzzy brain had made crafting his prose the night before. It seemed as if evil gremlins had pushed his mind toward the wrong words and his fingers to the wrong keys. He was almost pathetically grateful to hear Kate's ring tone. He was even more grateful to hear her news. Suddenly his mental Thesaurus had resumed its function. He just might make it through the day after all.

* * *

Garth Metzler expected Kate Beckett to react to his blonde hunkiness the way women usually did. He was disappointed. Her eyes completely ignored the impressive pecs and focused on the samples of evidence he had brought. "This is a start, Mr. Metzler, but still circumstantial," Kate informed him. "To earn the considerations you are demanding, I will need more, a lot more."

"I have a lot more," Garth insisted, "but I'm not foolish enough to turn it over unless we have a deal. My life wouldn't be worth shit, and we both know it."

"Really, Mr. Metzler?" Kate replied. "You just admitted to holding back evidence. That is a crime Garth. I could simply have you arrested and force whatever you have from you."

"You could try, Senator Beckett," Garth challenged. "But you would have to know where to look. Every day you spent searching would be another day Parser could get at Mira Roman. And if that happens, your case falls apart, and we both know that too."

"Mr. Metzler, you have no idea what I do or do not know. For example, I can tell that perfectly bleached hair of yours is damp from sweat. There are also small twitches in one of your eyelids, And you are continually forcing your fingers open to try to look relaxed. But you are not relaxed, Garth. You are scared. You are so scared, you are about to need another pair of pants. So let's be real here. I want everything you have - everything. Then we can offer you protection. Otherwise, I'll have the stalwart officers come in here and arrest you right now. Then I will get warrants for where you live, where you work, and everywhere you've ever been. We will find your evidence Garth, and when we do, you'll just be another prisoner, vulnerable to a shiv, or perhaps the attentions of Bubba, connoisseur of big blond beauties.

Garth's fingers fisted. "Fine, Senator Beckett, but I want our deal in writing from the D.A.."

"Kate smiled sweetly. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

Steven McDermott received a notice by messenger from Senator Beckett. Her investigation had turned up negotiations for recently uncovered MIA remains. Kiley McDermott's were believed to be among them. Included in the packet she'd sent, was a photo of Kiley's dog tags. Stephen examined it carefully, using a magnification app on his phone. There, in the upper corner on one of them was a little dent he had noticed the last time he'd seen his brother in uniform, It had seemed noteworthy at the time, because normally everything about Kiley's uniform was perfect. Kiley had told him that it had happened in the jungle; that he had taken a position in a tree to scope out a nest of Viet Cong. Kiley wryly admitted that he had fallen, and that the tag had been dented against a rock. Kiley had also expressed his thanks that even though he'd been pretty badly bruised by the fall, nothing had been broken and he was able to complete his mission. There was no doubt those were Kiley's tags. Of course that was no assurance that Kiley had been wearing them. They could have been lost, or taken from him. Senator Beckett's letter said that eventually all the remains would be returned. Steven could wait. His work with the museum had led to associations with people who could do some pretty sophisticated analysis. He would make sure that whatever came to him, truly confirmed his brother's death.


	65. Chapter 65

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 65

Big Reese eyed the car he'd noticed in the neighborhood. Even though it usually parked two blocks from the safe house, it made the rounds often enough to be suspicious. He'd run the plates, and the owner lived nowhere in the area. He'd also called Kate to alert her of his suspicions, but there wasn't much she could do. Mira already had a couple of cops guarding her. Any more police presence would give away the store. Reese was afraid it had already been given away. Jake was back at the hotel catching up on his sleep, but Reese decided it was time to wake him. He had that strange itch between his shoulder blades that told him something was about to go down. If he was right, it could take both of them to stop it.

Burke Macon circled the block. Albany was hardly his usual field of operations. He'd been taking care of business in Europe for some time. He didn't know the identity of his client and he didn't care. He just knew that the money showed up in his account and the instructions materialized on the dark web, encrypted with a key that had been left for him at his private drop. He had been reluctant to come back to the states. The cell service was slower, as were the internet and the trains - especially the trains. But the money was too good to pass up. The location of the safe house had been obtained by crossing a palm. No operation that involved more than one or two people could ever be kept totally confidential, especially in the public sector. In this case, the clerk that handled several of the food vouchers had been more than willing to take a contribution to her son's college fund. It hadn't been hard to trace a pattern of food purchases and narrow the area. The house gave itself away. He'd seen the switching of shifts. The cops wore plain clothes, but the way they moved and their watchfulness, shouted their identities to Burke. He decided the best time to hit was close to the end of a shift, when at least one of the keepers would be tired and letting her guard down.

The windows were covered. He couldn't hit his target by shooting from the outside. He'd obtained the plans of the house from public records. There was a cellar, the old type with stairs going up to a hatch that opened into the back yard. Hatches like that were usually made of metal and locked from the inside. It didn't matter, he could use thermite to get through. His newest version was both swift and silent. It made a flash, but it was a small one that with covered windows would be of of no consequence.

He checked the graphene lenses that would allow him to see in the dark. He would make his move at the still early. winter nightfall. Once he was in the cellar, he could feed quick-decompose gas into the upper floors. He had a mask, and he would inject himself with the antidote as a fail safe. The gas would make his targets almost instantly unconscious before they died. Even if they summoned help, it would be impossible for it to arrive in time. He could easily slip out of the cellar again and make his escape.

* * *

Reese was watching the house through a night scope. Jake, parked at the other end of the block, had opted for the high tech of special lenses, but Reese preferred something he could hold in his hand, and having once picked up an infection from contact lenses, avoided them if he possibly could. He and Reese were in touch by the tiny coms in their ears. He spotted the suspicious car approaching. This time, it parked two houses down and across the street from the safe house. A man emerged. "Jake, do you see him?"

"Affirmative," Jake replied. "I'm going to follow him if he goes near the safe house. If he makes his move, call for back up and follow me."

"Roger that," Reese agreed.

Dressed in a dull black jump suit, with his head covered with a balaclava, Macon made his way to the back of the safe house. Jake followed as closely as he could without giving himself away. He arrived in the back yard just in time to see the tiny flash of the thermite. With his lenses, it was almost blinding. It took him a moment to recover. "Reese, call for back up now!" Jake followed Macon down the cellar stairs, as soon as he was able. Macon's balaclava had been replaced by a respirator and he was connecting a canister to the duct work leading from the furnace. Jake tackled him and tore the mask from his face.. The canister dropped, the impact with the floor opening a valve. Gas began to seep out. Jake donned the mask and closed the valve.

"Too late," Macon smirked. "You've already breathed it. You're a dead man."

"Then so are you," Jake gasped, putting his full weight on Macon's chest, even as drowsiness began to overcome him.

"No," Macon rasped. "I took the antidote. I'll be fine. You'll be unconscious in a moment and I'll finish my job."

Reese had followed his partner as fast as he could. Hearing the exchange, he filled his lungs outside the cellar. A diver, he knew he could hold his breath for two minutes. He would have to move fast. When Reese found Jake, he had almost lost consciousness and Macon had begun to free himself from beneath him. Reese whipped the killer across the temple with the butt of his gun, knocking him unconscious. He pulled him from beneath Jake and began to search his pockets. He felt the hard glass of a vial under his fingers. It was attached to an injector. Praying there would be enough, he gave a shot to Jake and one to himself, then dragged Jake from the cellar.

Police and paramedics screamed their way up to the safe house. Reese and Macon were loaded into ambulances, with Macon cuffed for safety. EMTs convinced Jake to go to the hospital to get checked out as well. Mira Roman was taken to the headquarters of the State Police until another safe house could be made ready.

* * *

Kate met Reese at the hospital. "How are you and how's Jake?"

"I'm okay and he'll make it," Reese told her. "He got the antidote in time - barely. They're flushing his lungs now. They have him sedated. We can see him later."

"And our would-be hit man?" Kate inquired.

"He'll make it too. He'll have a hell of a headache. I didn't have time to be subtle when I hit him. I'm just glad he kept the antidote on him or the place we'd be having this conversation would be at a seance."

"Was there anything else on him?" Kate asked.

Reese grinned. "He had a phone. The numbers on it didn't seem to be much except to show he liked takeout. But there was an IP address that may lead to something. The cyber unit will be investigating it."

Kate returned his grin. "Good."

* * *

Robert Parser checked with his pilot. His private jet was fueled and ready to go. Cuba would be a short flight. He'd already sent funds ahead. With no worries of extradition, he could hunker down there until he could arrange a better refuge. The Maldives would make a good new center of operations. There were enough clients in that part of the world to build his empire again and he had enough funds strategically stashed to do it. All he needed was make it to the airport.

A/N Graphene lenses are a real thing, but still being perfected. In ten years they should work fine. I made up the gas. It was definitely not nerve gas, because that could go through the skin.


	66. Chapter 66

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 66

Reese and Jake ran to wrap themselves around Kate's lower half as she came through the door of the Fieldston house. Lily was not far behind, followed by Castle, who wanted more than a hug. They kissed, to a chorus of "Ews."

"How's Big Jake?" Castle asked.

"He's good. Big Reese is looking after him. They're both at the Albany house. The investigation is pretty much wrapped up for now. The Senate won't be back in session for a few days, so Topher wanted to hightail it back to Lindy and I hitched a ride."

"You know I'm dying to know every detail of how everything worked out," Castle said.

Kate laughed and pressed another quick peck to his lips. "If you weren't, I'd be looking for an alien pod. But for now, feed me!" she demanded. "Topher was in such a hurry to take off, I didn't have a chance to grab anything, and I'm starved."

"And what is milady's desire?" Castle inquired with a little bow.

"Anything except pizza," Kate responded. "Between being with Big Jake and Big Reese, and hanging out with the boys and girls in blue, I've had enough to last me until 2028."

"No pizza," Castle confirmed.

Castle's answer to an improvised feast was a sandwich stuffed with thin slices of a beef roast he'd made for himself and the kids, a salad, and a rapidly nuked potato. Kate slathered the potato in sour cream, forked a bite into her mouth and sighed. "Parser is behind bars," she reported, "and he's going to stay there."

"Whoa! Start from the beginning," Castle urged.

"Okay, you know about the attempt on Mira Roman," Kate replied, wiping a white dot from her lower lip. Castle nodded. "Well as it turned out," Kate continued, "Garth Metzler, Parser's assistant, had been the one in charge of Parser's travel arrangements. We suspected Parser might make a run for it after his hit man, Burke Macon, failed. Metzler steered us to the pilot Parser had on retainer. When Parser went to get on the plane, he walked right into our arms. Not only did Metzler flip, but Macon was more interested in saving his own ass than anything else too, so he was willing to give us what little he had. That included the encryption key to a dark website. The cyber guys traced the site directly to Parser. He was using it to orchestrate a number of dirty tricks."

"Parser's a billionaire. Why didn't he make bail?" Castle queried.

Kate took a healthy bite of her sandwich. "Oh, that was Metzler again. He pointed us to Parser's private accounts. We couldn't access them, but we could freeze them. Parser has no access to corporate funds either. Right now he can't even afford his own attorney. He has to go with a public defender. That means for practical purposes he'll have no access to the outside world. He can only talk to his fresh out lawyer. Nice kid by the way. He'll do his job, but he's not going to be carrying messages to any of Parser's minions. We still have Roman and Metzler facing their own charges. They'll have to keep cooperating, or they lose the chance for any concessions at all. Even so, Mira will probably be put away for life, with a small chance to negotiate for parole - if she has an extremely long lifespan. Metzler is more interested in having his ass protected - literally."

Castle winced. "Yeah, I imagine right now he's wishing he hadn't put so much effort into being the cover boy for the 'Buff Bums Weekly.' So what's left?"

"Trials, of course," Kate answered, "but most of that is the D.A.'s problem not mine. I'll be pushing the Food Analysis Bill, with some enthusiastic help from Topher. He sees it as his revenge." Kate groaned. "And then there's the budget. But I should pretty much be back to working regular session times."

Castle quirked an eyebrow. "Does that mean private sessions as well?"

Kate slipped a hand under the table to run a finger up his thigh. "Those, I'm actually looking forward to."

* * *

The hours before Rick and Kate could get the kids to bed, stretched interminably. Reese didn't want to leave his new drawing table. Jake wanted Castle to read to him from the latest youth adventure, and Lily had spent so much time working out the last few measures of a piece, that she had neglected her homework in Mandarin and had to finish it. By the time the household was quiet, Rick and Kate were beginning to droop themselves. Standing together in their bedroom, Kate wrapped her arms around his waist, rested her head against his chest, sighed, and closed her eyes. Castle kissed the top of her head. "How about this," Castle proposed, "we could take a nap, and by nap I mean closing our eyes and surrendering consciousness. I'll set an alarm for say, two A.M., by then we should both have some energy for adult amusements without the danger of knocks at our door from small fists."

"Mmm," Kate agreed.

When the alarm first went off, Castle was disoriented. "He'd been pulled from a REM sleep featuring the stentorian tones of a preacher, housed unaccountably in a circus tent, with trapeze artists performing tricks of derring-do above him. "Would have expected snake handlers," he muttered to himself.

He felt an intimate stroke from Kate's long fingers. "I'm pretty fond of handling a particular snake. You know snakes can be warm to the touch."

Castle pressed himself against her hand. "And getting hotter as we speak."

"It's not the only thing getting hotter," Kate replied.

Castle reached beneath her gown to the damp silk between her legs. "I can tell. Maybe I should blow on it." He pulled the flimsy covering away and replaced his hand with his mouth. Kate arched and gasped. "A little numerical symmetry?" Castle suggested.

Kate let a change of position communicate her answer. Heat engulfed them both as lips and tongues performed their mutual magic. It had been too long, and the end approached too fast, leaving them both gasping. Kate lay against the tangled sheets. Eyes closed, Castle caressed her damp skin. She shifted, to lay on top of him. "Babe, before that snake goes to sleep, he should find a burrow. Wouldn't want him to get cold."

"No we certainly wouldn't want that," Castle agreed, rising to the occasion faster than he would have thought possible.

Their lips met again, tongues darting and searching. Still slick and wet, Kate easily took him in. Intensity built to a slower beat, as hands found familiar havens to stimulate and enjoy, while mouths continued to sup. The final climax came as a gentler quake, but aftershocks followed that left them limp, satisfied, and dead to the world, until the new day made a forced intrusion into their peace.

* * *

Stephen McDermott surveyed the contents of the official package that had been delivered to his home that morning. He fingered the dog tags and the familiar dent, but he slipped on a pair of gloves before touching anything else. His DNA would be virtually indistinguishable from his brother's. If he was going to have the articles tested, he couldn't contaminate them. There wasn't much there. He recognized a battered Swiss Army knife. With any luck, some DNA, protected inside the knife, might be found on the nail file, the toothpick, or the tweezers. There was also a camouflage uniform, dirty and torn. Any DNA on that, would have been exposed to bacterial degradation, but he would have the garment analyzed anyway, for anything that could be found. He carefully packed up the knife and the uniform again, for delivery to a lab he trusted.


	67. Chapter 67

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 67

Steven McDermott was surprised to get a call from Bergstrom labs. His friend Mike had told him that he'd be sending his report. "Steve, you should come down here," Mike advised. "I've found something I need to show you."

"About the DNA?" Steven asked.

"The DNA is a match to yours, within the variation for identical twins," Mike explained, "but there is something about the uniform you sent that doesn't add up. Can you make it this morning?"

"Yeah, I'll be there in a couple of hours," Steven agreed.

Steven sat across a laboratory bench from Dr. Mike Tenthaler. Images of DNA were spread out in front of them. Mike pointed. "Steve, this is you. We looked at ten markers." Mike pointed to another page. "This is the DNA found on the knife and the uniform. For all ten markers, it's a match. In court, that would be enough to get a conviction. But here's the strange part." Mike pulled on a pair of gloves and took the camouflage uniform Steven had sent, out of a paper bag. He slipped it under large magnifier. "Do you see the little tears?" Steven nodded. "Normally, over the span of years from Vietnam, those rips would have widened and spread. I searched for pictures of other camou from that era." Mike pushed a file of pictures across the table for Steven to examine. "The tears are all longer.

"I sent a piece of the uniform that was supposed to have belonged to your brother out to one of our sister labs for analysis. It's cotton Rip Stop, specially made to keep small tears from becoming big ones. But here's the thing. That's not what your brother would have worn. His uniform should have been a cotton nylon blend. Rip Stop didn't come into use until 1987. If your brother was killed in Vietnam, this couldn't have been his uniform."

"So someone phonied up the remains. And to get Kiley's DNA on the uniform, they most likely had his cooperation," Steven speculated.

Mike held up a hand. "That's a big jump from what these results show, but not entirely impossible. Do you have reason to believe your brother is alive?"

Steven nodded slowly. "Pretty sure I do, and I think I know who to talk to about it. But I want to do it face to face."

* * *

Castle rotated his shoulders and worked his right hand open and closed. He didn't stand up to book signings as well as he had. Writer's cramp was taking on new meaning. But the event was for Fill the Cracks, to help fund a new center to combat domestic violence. He'd hang in there and get a very long soak in some very hot water later. There was still a long line in front of his table. Who would have thought that he'd still be so popular writing literary tomes? A mane of white hair poked up from behind the queue of mostly women. Damn! It couldn't be. Hunt knew better than to come anywhere near Castle in a public venue.

As Castle signed, the tall figure edged closer. It wasn't Hunt. It was Steven McDermott. "I really need to talk to you," the old man whispered as he approached Castle's station.

"Wait in the coffee bar." Castle requesred softly. "I'll meet you there as soon as I've finished signing."

Castle found Steven with his hands wrapped around a container of long cooled coffee, next to an uneaten Danish pastry. The area was crowded, with several customers looking up at Castle and smiling their recognition. "I know it's cold, but perhaps we should take a walk," Castle suggested.

Steven's eyebrows flew upwards. "Cold? Are you kidding boy? I've been living in Albany. It's almost springlike out there. A stroll would be just fine."

"Good," Castle acknowledged, leading the way through a back door. The two walked in silence to pocket park, emptied by chilling gusts of wind. They seated themselves on the farthest bench from the sidewalk. "I take it this is about my wife's investigation into the remains of your brother and the other MIAs."

"Mr. Castle," Steven began, "damn, it feels wrong calling you that! You're probably my nephew."

"What?" Castle responded. "Where would you get an idea like that?"

"Well for one thing, your wife saw to it that I was sent phony evidence of my brother's death. I have proof of that. I can show it to you. And then there are the eyes. The corners of your eyes and those of your boys, they're McDermott," Steven asserted. "I see them in my children and grandchildren. Now I know I'm not your father. That leaves my brother."

Castle exhaled slowly, his breath whitening the air. "What my wife did, what my - father - did, was for your safety and that of your family. I guess that's our family. You are my uncle. And yes, your brother is alive. I know him as Jackson Hunt."

"His name is Kiley McDermott," Steven corrected.

"Fine, Kiley," Castle accepted. "Having any connection with him is very dangerous. My daughter, not the one you met, my older one, was almost killed just because he is her grandfather. He has been working for our country all these years, but he's picked up a lot of enemies doing it. Some are the kind of enemies that take revenge. Because of that, I've never been able to have a father, and if you want to protect yourself and your family, you can't have a brother. Let him stay dead. It will be better for all of us."

Steven shook his head. "I'm not sure I can do that. I need to understand how he could walk away from everything - away from me."

"You are going to keep looking, aren't you?" Castle asked. "You don't need to answer. I can see it in that face, that too familiar face. Your stubbornness runs in the family. So look, I have a way to put a message out to him. He may not answer right away, but chances are he knows you're still poking around. He has ways of knowing pretty damn much everything. I'll try to get him to find a safe way to contact you. But please, until then, stop asking questions. I just found an uncle. I don't want to lose him."

Steven grasped Castle's leather gloved hand. "I will stop - for now. But I'm not about to let this go."

Castle gazed after him as he strode off. "I know you're not."

Castle wished he could talk to Kate about Steven McDermott, but she was back in Albany, and he didn't dare have the discussion by phone or over the internet. He shivered. Maybe his uncle wasn't cold, but he was. He wasn't sure whether it was the temperature, the wind, or the situation, but he was freezing. Muscles that had been tight at the book signing were now solidly knotted. He needed to get home. He had to get the blood flowing in his veins before the kids made it back from school. But first he had to get the word out to Hunt - or Kiley. He turned the name over in his brain. Kiley McDermott. Under other circumstances that would have made him a McDermott too. If he'd attached his name to a family, a clan really, would he have changed it to Castle? He didn't know. There was one thing he did know. He would have had a very different life.


	68. Chapter 68

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 68

Hunt reread the flash fiction on the Richard Castle website. To the normal reader, if Richard had any normal readers, it would just look like a fanciful tale of twins, but to him, the message couldn't have been clearer. Steven had discovered his deception. Some junior member at the agency must have screwed up. Hell, a lot of them didn't remember Vietnam. The only people who did were old codgers like him - and Steven. He should have known better. He'd never been able to put anything over on his brother. Steven has always put everything under the microscope. He'd watched him through the years. Even as an engineer, many of his friends were scientists, and good ones. Steven would never take anything at face value. So now the question was, what to do about it. He hated the thought of putting his brother in jeopardy, but at this point it would be less dangerous to reveal the truth, than to have Steven keep digging. And he would keep digging. He wouldn't be able to stop himself. Hunt would have to arrange a meeting. He just needed a time and a place where no one would notice a pair of identical old men.

* * *

From the time he woke up, Castle knew it would not be the best of days. For starters, he could only breathe through his mouth. He'd need a thermometer to be certain, but he was pretty sure he didn't have fever, so at least it wasn't the flu, just a damn cold. There was no mystery as to how he'd caught it. It had taken him an hour to feel warm again after his meeting with Steven McDermott. Put that together with shaking hands with an endless line of fans, and the result was a recipe for misery. The most important thing would be to keep from infecting the kids - and Kate - when she returned from Albany. That meant a lot of hand washing and hand sanitizer. Unfortunately, it also meant refraining from a proper welcome for his wife. He hoped this plague would be a short one and he and Kate could have some better together time before the next Senate session began. His alarm had gone off at six A.M., giving him time to breathe in a little steam from the shower before getting the kids ready for school. That would help. He wanted to avoid cold pills if he could. They made him think he had the world by the tail, until he looked at what he wrote under the influence and wondered how he could have produced such crap. After Lily and the boys were loaded into the van, he might grab a longer shower and maybe even climb back into bed for a while. That prospect seemed increasingly attractive as he slogged though preparing breakfast and making sure Reese's carefully crafted diorama was packed securely enough to make it to Latu's Trails unscathed.

Castle was roused from his burrow under his blankets by a dip at the edge of the bed. He peered out to see Kate. "Are you okay Babe? I sent you a couple of texts to tell you I could make it home early, but you didn't respond."

He swiped a hand across his eyes. "I'll be fine. Stupid cold. You have no idea how much I hate to say this, but don't get too close. I do need to talk to you, though. Someone messed up somehow and Steven McDermott figured out Hunt isn't dead."

"Maybe it's just as well," Kate offered. "If he finds out the truth, the whole truth, about his brother, he'll understand why he has to keep it to himself."

Castle pulled himself up on his elbows. "I don't know about the whole truth. I think I would have been happier not knowing my father is a ruthless assassin. Kate, I've seen him take men, a lot of men, down and smile about it. Gemini was on the floor and helpless and Hunt still shot him dead, because it was his job. It didn't even bother him. I've spent a lot of hours wondering how much of that strain runs through me. There have been times when I..."

"I know, Babe, but always for the right reasons. Whatever you did was to save Alexis or me. You've never hurt anyone for the pleasure of it. You are a kind and loving man. You hardly know Steven, and you want to protect him - and the rest of a family you never knew you had. So what now?"

Castle shook his head. "I don't know. It's in Hunt's hands. God Kate, what time is it?"

"Two o'clock in the afternoon."

"I need to get some writing in. I'm behind."

Kate brushed back a lock of hair from his forehead. "Tell you what. You go typey typey and I'll see if I can find some chicken soup."

"Love you," Castle responded.

Kate winked. "Too late not to."

* * *

Steven McDermott looked at the envelope that had been slipped into his mailbox. There was no back address, just a tiny caricature of a rabbit drawn in the upper left corner. It was from Kiley. They had always joked that Kiley was the hare, rushing along the road, and Steven had been the tortoise. Steven opened the envelope and regarded the time and place written on the single sheet within. He smiled and nodded slowly. Yes, it made perfect sense.

The Twinstown festival in Southern California was going full blast. Several streets had been closed off and were filled with vendors hawking twin-related merchandise, and food booths with twin themes. Every ice cream cone was a double scoop and all the burgers had two patties. Twins, from infants to centenarians were everywhere. Steven and Hunt were just one pair among many. They met in the lobby of a motel specializing in double suites, and no one gave them a glance. Hunt had obtained the room under one of his many legends. Still, he'd carefully scanned for bugs and had an app on his phone that would alert him to any untoward signals. He and Steven stared at each other across the small in-suite table.

"Why did you do it, Kiley?" Steven asked.

Hunt ran a hand through his hair, trying to find the right words. "Call me Jackson. It's been so many years since I went by Kiley, it doesn't even sound like me anymore. Look, Steven. The war was going badly, you know that. We should have learned from history, our own revolutionary war. The British had superior weapons, more men, more everything. But our people knew the area. They knew where to hide and how to strike. They could move quickly and attack from ambush. It was the same with the Viet Cong. Our guys had heavy packs and heavy boots. They didn't know how to handle the jungle. They telegraphed their movements from miles away. The Cong, they could travel with just a bag of rice and attack from anywhere. And they saw themselves as defending their territory and their homes. A lot of our guys didn't even know why the fuck they were there - or care. They got through any way they could, with alcohol and with drugs. Our intelligence people tried hard, picked the people they thought could do the job. I was one of them. But they knew we were done long before Saigon fell. They prepared us for our next role. Our missions would be dirty, and in places where we weren't supposed to be. If we were caught, they couldn't afford to have us tied back to the US. So we had to die. I had to die. I thought I was doing the right thing. Most of the time I still think I did. But it meant leaving everyone and everything behind. I'm too old to be in the field anymore, but guys like me, the only way we can leave the company is feet first. A lot of the enemies I've made are still out there, and so is the danger."

"What about Richard Castle?" Steven asked.

"He was an accident," Hunt confessed, "although not one I regret. His mother is an actress. It was the seventies. I assumed she'd be on the pill. Either she wasn't, or she missed a dose. Anyway, I didn't find out about Richard until later. I did my best to keep tabs on him and his mother, and then his daughter. But I got too close, was too careless. The result of that was almost disastrous. Staying away from the ones I love is the only way I've ever been able to keep any of you safe. Can you understand that?"

"I'm trying to," Steven responded.

"But hey," Hunt added. "If you or our family ever need me, you won't see me, but I'll be around."

A/N I grew up in the Vietnam era and agonized when the boy I liked got a low lottery number. I saw my roommate's boyfriend come back alcoholic and addicted and he certainly was not alone. But I heard a Vietnamese point of view years later from a Vietnamese friend who had, among other things, spent two years in a prison camp. He explained to me how the Viet Cong could travel fast and light with their bags of rice while American troops were weighed down and slow. If I've offended anyone, I am truly sorry. I'm writing about the events as I understand them to have happened.

I made up the twins festival in Southern CA. There is one in Twinsburg OH, but at the wrong time of year for my story.


	69. Chapter 69

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 69

It was Valentine's Gala Night at the Old Haunt, a special night for parents. Childcare had been set up in the basement with several child development students Lagi had recommended. While the kids played games and consumed non-alcoholic beverages, their parents could indulge in something stronger.

In consideration of all the February holidays, the State Senate had been adjourned for a week, and Kate was home. With his cold forcing him to keep his distance on her last homecoming, Castle was anxious to make up for lost time. They could have drinks and lots of chocolate at his bar, then the family could take a car service home. After the kids were in bed, He and Kate could begin their one on one celebration.

Over the music, Castle heard sirens wailing in the distance. He could see Kate immediately snap to alert. "Old instincts never die, do they?" he asked.

A smile ghosted her lips as she shook her head. "I keep waiting, but I guess not. Sounds like something major. We've got a pretty big crowd of off-duties in here tonight. Some of them are probably calling in to find out what's going down, as we speak. Espo's around here somewhere with Maria. They'll probably talk to him. He keeps in pretty close touch. He still runs with some of those guys."

"I know," Castle laughed. "They've been teasing him about having an advantage because of his prosthetics. He has less muscle to tire."

Kate shrugged. "They might have a point. He still moves better than most guys I know."

"And speaking of that, he's moving this way," Castle noted. "What's going on, Sito?" Castle inquired of the former cop.

"It's crazy, like some of the stuff you used to write, Castle. Perfume company, a few blocks away, they were having some kind of party celebrating their new perfume. They pushed it for Valentine's Day. Some nut bar came in waving a gun and claiming that the perfume ruined his life."

"How does a perfume ruin someones life?" Castle queried.

Esposito shook his head. "I don't know, man. That's all I heard. Obviously the dude's crazy. But he's holding a bunch of hostages. There's a witness who got away. Says she smelled him coming. She could smell the oil in his gun. You know her, Castle, Mia Laszlo."

"'The Nose?'" Castle asked.

"That's her," Esposito confirmed. "The cops there are having trouble talking to her. She says they all smell too bad."

"Well maybe I can talk to her," Castle proposed. "She said odor wise, I'm pretty inoffensive."

"You could take that up with Captain Roman," Esposito suggested. "You know him too, and he's in charge of the scene."

"Oh yeah, the hostage negotiator on the Emma Riggs thing." Castle recalled. "He was a sergeant. I guess he moved up in the world."

"Castle, he survived working with you, he had to be pretty good," Esposito razzed. "Anyway, he should have the HRU trailer set up outside the building. It's three blocks down and two blocks over."

Castle quirked an eyebrow at Kate. "Feel like a walk? The kids should be fine here for a while."

Kate rolled her eyes. "If it will keep you out of trouble."

* * *

Roman's trailer was easy enough to find. Mia had locked herself in the bathroom and turned on the ventilator. Roman was grateful for any help he could get. "Mia, it's Richard Castle," Rick called, knocking on the door. "You remember me? Can we talk?"

"Remember you?" Mia retorted. "You broke my nose. But you also got me into the world. We can talk if I can get away from this cop stink. Can we go to my apartment? But no cop cars and no cabs. I need air. We walk. It's only ten blocks."

"Yeah, I remember," Castle replied. "Who could forget a decontamination chamber? You remember my wife? Can she come too?"

Castle could hear Mia's sigh through the door. "Is she still using that cherry shampoo? That almost overwhelmed all those pheromones she put out."

"I like that shampoo!" Castle protested.

"Fine. But she'll have to go through decontamination too. And don't you dare do what you did last time you were at my apartment."

"I haven't had a taco in days," Castle assured her. "I can keep everything in."

* * *

Kate and Rick sat on the couch catching their breath after the bombardment of Mia's decontamination procedure. "How about you start from the beginning," Castle suggested to the nervous hyperosmic.

"Claire's perfume advertised a scent that would have the same effect on men as women's pheromones do. They called it Dionaea, after the venus fly trap, an irresistible lure. But there weren't even any pheromones in it. They looked at the research and found that men were turned on by the smell of donuts and pumpkin pie. So the stuff actually smelled a lot like a bakery, a little more heavy on cinnamon and cloves. Anyway, it did very well in the sales leading up to Valentine's day. They had the ladies in the department stores spritzing it on the customers. From what I heard, the women liked the effect and came back and bought the stuff. So the executives at Claire's were having a self congratulation party. They wanted me there as the formulator of the perfume. I hate parties. Too many odors: soap and shampoos and sex, all on top of alcohol. I can tell you two have had a couple. The scotch wasn't as good as the stuff you had at your loft, Rick. It could use more aging."

"Bar stock," Castle agreed. "But go on. So you were at the perfume party."

"Uh huh," Mia picked up. "I was hanging back as much as I could and standing right under an air vent, so the stink would be blown away from me. Then I smelled the gun. I tried to tell the security guy, but he stank so bad I couldn't get near him. He must have been smoking on his break. Kools, tobacco and menthol. Really obnoxious. Then I saw the guy. He had a gun in his hand and pointed it at the president of Claire's, Ralphy Jumbo. He was ranting that the perfume made him cheat on his wife, that he couldn't help himself. He claimed his life was ruined and that someone was going to have to pay. Some of the women started screaming, and the gunman was distracted by them. I was only a couple of feet from the back stairs, so I got out of there and called the police."

"Would a perfume really make a man cheat on his wife?" Kate wondered.

"Our researchers measured penile blood flow in response to the perfume. Some men reacted very strongly. If he was really sensitive, it might be possible," Mia speculated.

"Scents do have a powerful effect on the human brain," Castle added. "They can bring back memories. If the gunman associated the scent with a positive sexual experience, say he had a really good go round on Thanksgiving, might that enhance his arousal?"

"It could," Mia confirmed. "When we develop scents, we try to use notes that will trigger emotional responses. That's why some people really like pine scent, it makes them think of Christmas. Or they might hate it if they've had bad experiences at the holidays. We try to be as universal as we can, but it's all very personal."

"And this guy gets super turned on by pumpkin pie and donuts," Castle concluded. "If he's that susceptible, there must be some way we can use that to distract him, so we can get those people out of there."

Kate sighed. "i'm not the only one whose instincts never die."

A/N I'm not lying here. Research has shown that where men are concerned, a mix of the scent of donuts and pumpkin pie can be very, um, stimulating. Something to remember for the morning after Thanksgiving. And you wondered why pumpkin pie spice is being added to everything under the sun. Pumpkin pie donut anyone?


	70. Chapter 70

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 70

Mia, didn't you say you were standing under an air vent?" Kate asked. "Could you make a concentrated version of that scent that could be piped into the room where the gunman is?"

Mia shrank from the question. "Usually I work with micro-liters of essences, and sometimes they still overwhelm me. I can detect a single molecule. If I do what you want me to do, I'll need a respirator and an industrial hood. They have those at the perfume factory."

"Roman's not going to let anyone in there," Castle asserted. An alarm sounded on Castle's phone. "We need to get the kids home and to bed. They have school tomorrow."

"Castle, you go ahead and take them," Kate suggested. "I'll handle Roman. I'll pull Gates into it if I have to. I'll get things going and then - I'll meet you there later."

"Just don't exhaust all your energy on police politics," Castle advised.

"Wouldn't think of it," Kate assured him.

While, at Mia's insistence, Kate and Mia walked back to the perfume factory, Castle hailed a cab to take him to the Old Haunt. "Daddy, where's Mama? Lily asked.

"Mama is helping take care of a bad guy, but she'll be home later." Castle explained as he hustled the kids into the car service limo. "She'll come in and kiss you good night ."

Lily chewed her lower lip in a way that reminded Castle of Kate. "The bad guy isn't going to hurt her, is he?"

Castle kissed Lily's forehead. "She's just going to help the police use something special to catch him. He isn't going to be anywhere near her."

Do the police have some kind of super weapon?" Reese asked.

Castle grinned. "They just might."

* * *

Other than the room where the gunman was holding the hostages, Claire's perfume had been completely evacuated. It was surrounded by a police cordon, supervised by Captain Roman. He was not at all sanguine with the idea of sending Mia back into the building. Victoria Gates was not pleased either, when Kate interrupted her Valentine's date with her husband, but not hearing any better ideas, she gave into Kate's request. Picturing the headlines if a State Senator should be shot on what should have been a police operation, Gates refused to let Kate accompany Mia, but agreed that she could stay in the trailer with Roman and maintain communication with the formulator as she worked.

Mia was escorted to the perfume lab by two ESU officers in full gear. She requested that they remain as far as possible from her, at least when she wasn't wearing her respirator. Using essences of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and vanilla, as well as hints of oil and fruity esters, Mia assembled a mixture she declared the best semblance of a Dionaea concentrate.

In Roman's trailer, Kate studied the plans of the ventilation system. The ducts were not wide enough to accommodate a human being. "We want to keep Mia's mix as concentrated as possible, but it's six floors from where we can introduce it into the system to the where the gunman is. It's going to be diluted by a lot of air."

"You've been away from the front lines too long, Senator Beckett," Roman pointed out. "We can do it the same way we detonate bombs. We send a robot, or more accurately a drone, since it's going to have to move vertically. We attach the container of chemicals and put a little charge on it. Our pilot guides it where we want it to go and then we blow it, flooding the room. Now, Ms Laszlo did assure me that the fumes would be harmless to the hostages."

"Aside from the woman getting hungry and the men getting a little horny, that was my understanding," Kate confirmed. "I wish Castle could see this. It's just the kind of thing he loves."

"You two are an interesting couple," Roman offered. "There is a camera on the drone, so we will be able to see what it sees from here. Better still, we can send a second miniaturized drone with it, that can get through the ventilation grate and give us a scan of the room after the fumes have been released. But the recording of the operation will be police evidence. If this actually affects the killer the way Ms. Laszlo predicts, then I'll have my men in position for a full breach while he's overwhelmed with, um, sexual desire."

It was midnight before Roman had everything in place. Concealing her phone in her hand, Kate watched the feed from the drone, on the screen in the trailer. She could see the walls to the duct as both drones rose and sought their targets. When the tracking output declared them to be in place, Roman ordered the charge to be blown. The camera on the tiny drone panned the room, finding the gunman. His situation was apparent. One hand had almost lost the grip on his gun while he stroked himself with the other. "Full breach, now," Roman ordered, and armed men rushed into the room and tackled the gunman to the ground. Even handcuffed, he couldn't keep his eyes from the women in the room. Several of the other men seemed to be suffering from a milder version of the same malady, while the women gazed longingly at the buffet table.

* * *

After a cab ride, Kate let herself into the Castle castle at two A.M.. Rick was drowsing on the couch waiting for her. "We got him," she announced. "No casualties, but possibly some new hookups. Also some emergency orders for snack food."

"Sounds like the cops have a whole new weapon," Castle observed. "They should call it the love bomb. And speaking of love, I never gave you your Valentine's Day gift. Castle picked up a jewelry box that had been on the couch next to him. Striding to Kate, he pressed his lips to hers, and handed it to her. Inside, lay a charm bracelet with a tiny windmill, lance, balance, scroll, and pen."It's a companion to your necklace," Castle explained.

It's perfect! I have something for you too," Kate added. She pulled a small flat package wrapped in tissue paper out of her purse.

Castle unwrapped what looked like a coupon book. "What is this?"

"It's coupons for blocks of my time, redeemable whenever you like, except during actual Senate sessions. I've been away from you too damn much. You like it?"

"I love it! In fact, I think I might redeem one of these right now."

"I have something else for you too," Kate said, pulling out her phone. "I videoed the whole drone operation off the monitor in Roman's trailer. I knew you'd want to see it."

"That is so cool!" Castle exclaimed. "I promised Lily you'd kiss her goodnight. But can we watch after that?"

"We could," Kate purred, "but I thought we had other plans for tonight."

Castle wrapped his arms around her. "We did, we certainly did."

"And Castle," Kate added. "Mia sent you something too."

Castle's brows rose. "What would Mia send to me?"

Kate pulled a tiny vial containing a drop of fluid, from beneath her bra. "She said it would work best at body temperature, so I've been keeping it warm for you. Concentrated essence of pumpkin pie and donuts."

Castle swallowed. "We can definitely wait to watch the video tomorrow."


	71. Chapter 71

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 71

"What happened?" Kate asked, surveying the splatters of red and blue icing on the floor and counters of the kitchen.

Castle attacked the mess with his sixth damp paper towel. "Superhero cupcakes for the extravaganza. The boys wanted to help. Some of the ones Reese decorated were very artful. Jake was - enthusiastic. We made nine dozen."

"Nine dozen! The kids will be past sugar shock and into sugar delirium."

"They're not for the kids," Castle explained. "They're for the parents. Lagi's going to feed the kids something healthy before the show. But jazzing up the parents will guarantee they don't sit stonily in their seats."

"Wouldn't some extra strong coffee do the same thing?" Kate inquired.

"Uh huh, but the cupcakes won't cause as many bathroom runs, at least not until later."

Kate shook her head and grinned, in spite of her best efforts. "Castle, that is deliciously sneaky."

"Emphasis on the delicious," Castle said. "I'm supposed to be there before the performance tomorrow, to help set up. How's your schedule looking?"

"Except for one constituent meeting, it's clear," Kate announced triumphantly. "I won't miss a minute."

* * *

Mrs. O'Raley bustled into Kate's tiny Bronx office with a full head of steam. "Senator Beckett, you are my last hope!"

"Mrs. O'Raley, when you requested your appointment, you didn't say what your problem is. How can I help you?" Kate inquired.

"It's the gray people, Senator, the alien invaders." O'Raley declared.

"You mean illegal aliens?" Kate asked.

"No, I mean alien aliens, from another planet," O'Raley insisted. "They are all over my neighborhood. I called the police and they just laughed at me. I called the advocate's office and the mayor. I even called Immigration." O'Raley pulled a handkerchief from the pocket of her coat and began twisting it in her hands. "I don't know what to do!"

"Mrs. O'Raley, these aliens, are they threatening you in some way?" Kate asked.

"Threatening?" O'Raley repeated. "Senator, they are the first wave. If we don't stop them here, the planet will be overrun."

Kate stalled for time while she tried to figure out if there was some way she could get Mrs. O'Raley to Bellevue. "What do these aliens look like?"

"I think it would be better if you saw for yourself," O'Raley insisted. "I've taken pictures, but everyone said they were fake. Come with me. It's only five minutes from here. They're in every house on the block except mine."

Kate consulted her watch. The extravaganza at Latu's Trails would be starting in two hours. Even allowing for traffic, she could make it. Perhaps if there was nothing to see, perhaps she could convince her desperate constituent to get some help. Kate agreed to follow O'Raley back to her neighborhood, in her own car.

It was obvious that something was going on. Several of the houses were affixed with symbols Kate didn't recognize. One woman was kneeling in a front yard, doing some early Spring gardening. "Take a good look at her," O'Raley whispered.

Kate watched as the woman rose and turned so that Kate could see her face. The sun illuminated her skin. "She's gray!" Kate exclaimed.

O'Raley breathed a heavy sigh. "Finally, I have a witness. It's the same with every house on the block except mine. So what are you going to do about it Senator?"

Kate wished with all her heart that Castle was with her. He was bound to have a theory, although it might involve interstellar travel. But somehow she didn't think that an invasion force would set up in a middle class neighborhood in the Bronx. She decided to take the direct approach and talk to the erstwhile gardener. Kate walked up and extended a hand. "I'm Kate Beckett, your State Senator. I'm always interested in meeting my constituents."

The blue-gray woman stared blankly.

"How long have you lived in this district?" Kate tried again.

The woman backed away and strode quickly into her house. "Aren't you going to go after her?" O'Raley demanded.

"I can't just invade someone's home," Kate explained, "but I will investigate, Mrs. O'Raley. I promise. You said that your neighbors haven't said or done anything threatening toward you."

"That's true," O'Raley admitted.

"Then for the moment, there's no lawful basis to take any action against them. But I can find out just who these people are. In the meantime, if anyone threatens you in any way, call me, and I will get the police out here for you."

O'Raley pressed her lips in a tight line. "Once you'd seen, I was hoping for a lot more. But it's still more than anyone else has done. And mark my words, Senator Beckett, if anything happens, anything at all, you will be receiving my call."

"Mrs. O'Raley," Kate responded. "I'll be at your service."

* * *

Kate slid into the seat Castle had saved for her, just before the show began. "That must have been some unhappy constituent," Castle guessed.

Kate expelled a breath slowly through her lips. "Babe, you have no idea. I'll tell you about it later. The story is definitely Castle flavored."

The final chords of Lily's music sounded and the audience of parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends rose in enthusiastic applause. The adults gathered for a last round of coffee before ferrying their various charges home. Rick had arrived by subway, so the Castle family piled into Kate's car for the trip back to Fieldston. Kate was uncharacteristically silent, making Castle even more anxious to hear her tale.

When Lily had retreated to her keyboard, Reese to his drawing board, and Jake to a new video game, Castle wrapped his arms around Kate, resting his chin on her shoulder. "So, what's the story?"

Kate filled him in on Mrs. O'Raley and her strange neighbors. "So human proportions, no big eyes?" Castle questioned.

"Just that strange blue-gray," Kate confirmed. "So what do you think Castle? Beings from another galaxy? Did they come through a dimensional warp? Time travelers?"

"As cool as those explanations might be," Castle began, walking toward his office, "I believe I know of something like this, and it is quite earthly. Have you ever heard of argyria?"

Kate shook her head.

"There was a health fad, wow, it must have been decades ago," Castle explained. "Some company was pushing some kind of silver preparation. Some of the health food stores were carrying it, and they sold it online. From what I read, the rationale was that silver is naturally anti-bacterial. And then a couple of people who were taking it turned bluish gray. I wouldn't have paid any attention to the story except that one of the gray ones ended up making the rounds of the cons. She won a whole bunch of cosplay competitions without needing makeup. There were all sorts of rumors circulating that she really was an alien, until it came out that she was actually from Peoria. Major disappointment. Anyway, I checked it out. It can happen to people who are exposed to silver compounds or silver dust. From what I read, it's not usually dangerous, just very weird. But it can mess with people's eyes. I haven't read anything about it in a long time, but there was an article about treating the skin color with lasers. I'm going to find something more up to date... what?"

Kate shook her head. "I never saw this coming. I was the one thinking about aliens and you come up with a logical, earthbound explanation. What are the odds? Maybe we should buy a bunch of lottery tickets."

Rick pulled Kate in for a kiss. "We won the lottery a long time ago."


	72. Chapter 72

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 72

Taking a break from his work on Holy Snake Oil, Castle framed himself in the doorway of Kate's home office and crooned, "Who are the people in your neighborhood?"

Laughing, Kate looked up from her laptop. "Can never quite get Sesame Street out of your head, can you?"

"It seemed appropriate," Castle remarked. "Find out where our gray skinned neighbors hail from?"

"Getting there," Kate replied. "Public records show that the houses on O'Raley's block were bought up by a private foundation, Acasă. They had been financed by one of the crooked mortgage companies brought to light when the real estate bubble burst during the Bush administration, and were bought out of foreclosure. Since then they've been used as low cost rentals, to house people having some kind of trouble. I haven't tracked down exactly who is occupying them now. I thought I'd try being friendly. I'll get in touch with Acasă and offer any assistance I can render as their State Senator."

"Sound's like a plan," Castle agreed. "The name sounds familiar. Yeah, I went to a party honoring them once. It was given by Shawna Simmons."

"The one who writes all those vampire books?" Kate asked.

Castle nodded. "Uh huh. She has an obsession with all things Romanian. If I recall correctly, Acasă is Romanian for home."

"That certainly makes sense," Kate considered.

"Paula handled Shawna's last few books. I can have her call her. Maybe she can get us an easy entree to Acasă."

"Us?" Kate questioned.

"Hey, she's my agent. And Kate, do you really expect me to let the mystery of gray people get away from me? You said it was Castle flavored."

"I did," Kate conceded. "Okay, get it set up. But make it soon. I have to be back in Albany in a couple of days."

Castle pushed out his lower lip in a mock pout. "How well I know."

* * *

Elena Balan nodded knowingly from behind her utilitarian desk at Acasă. "We were wondering when someone in that neighborhood might get some crazy ideas about our people. In fact, Senator, there is bigger matter involved you may wish to look into. The people that you saw are from Moldova. They were from a small enclave, very poor. The symbols you saw on the houses were familial identifications, unique to their area. When Moldova became independent after the break up of the Soviet Union, their economy actually grew. But there was a drought in 2012 that temporarily sent it in the other direction. The people from that enclave were particularly hard hit. They were brought to this country by - there's no nicer word for it - slavers. They were promised good jobs. But they were put to work in a reopened silver mine in New York. There are quite a few of those old mines here. There's one you can explore in Harriman State Park. That mine was private and isolated, and it was years before it was discovered what was being done there. The workers had no protection of any kind and no medical care. They were fed just enough to keep them working. We took them in when the authorities found them. The mine was just one of many human trafficking operations going on everywhere, including New York. That's the bigger matter I was referring to."

"Yes, our own foundation, Fill The Cracks, has had experience with that," Kate commented.

"Ah, so you know" Elena responded. "That operation was was small, and since there was no prostitution going on, not spectacular enough to make the news. We obtained visas for the workers and put them up in the homes you've seen. We've partnered with Cedars Sinai to obtain treatment for them. As you might understand, they are shy about venturing out, so we have food and whatever else they need delivered to them. Apparently your constituent is the only resident of that cluster of homes, that lives in a house we don't own. It is unfortunate that she was upset by the appearance of people who are no more than unfortunate victims. However, in the interest of maintaining the privacy of our people, it would be best if you told her only that her neighbors have an illness that is being treated.

"I think an emphasis on the fact that it isn't contagious might be warranted," Castle suggested.

"Good thought." Kate agreed.

* * *

"You know," Castle mused as Kate drove them back to Fieldston, "Maybe Elena had a point about the State Senate taking an interest in human trafficking. Vice deals with it every day. We ran into it in the sweat shops, and now there was that silver mine. I know it's illegal, but just how rampant is it? Couldn't you make a resolution about forming a state task force or something?"

"Wow Babe, are you suggesting another windmill as a target for my lance? Since it is already illegal, that's more a matter for the Attorney General than it is for the State Senate, and a resolution would have no force of law. But we can shine a light on the situation and keep the pressure up on the AG and enforcement agencies. I can think of several other senators who would have a strong interest in a resolution like that. I'll get a group together when I get back to Albany tomorrow."

Castle groaned. "It always comes too soon."

"I know Castle. But it won't be a long session. The kids haven't been up for a weekend in a while. You could bring them. There's still quite a bit of snow in the backyard up there. They could have a good time with it."

"I think Lily is beginning to lose her taste for the cold and wet," Castle offered, "She didn't even go out to play during the last good snow we had here. But the boys would enjoy it, and Lily's has some new programs for her laptop and keyboard that can practically turn her room up there into a virtual music studio. She can do the whole orchestra. If we do a family outing, we may have to pry her away, unless it's to go see a Matt Spenser movie. I think she has her first serious preteen celebrity crush."

Kate's eyes lit in remembrance. "Oh! I remember when I had an intense thing for Justin. Who was yours, Castle?"

"Didn't really have one. I spent so much time backstage with my mother, that it took a while for scantily clad beautiful women to become remarkable to me. After my father gave me the copy of Casino Royale. I thought Bond girls were pretty cool though. That had some influence on my writing."

Kate smirked. "No kidding. The king of the glistening breasts. Nikki seemed to lose her sluttiness pretty soon after she hooked up with Rook though."

"Well she was you, Kate, and Rook was me. Why would I have wanted her to hook up with anyone else?"

"Castle, it was four years before we slept together. You were already working on Frozen Heat by then. We both had hookups. You were with Gina and that stewardess and I was with Josh."

"That doesn't mean I wanted it that way. That's the advantage of fantasy. You write what you want. I wanted us to be in love. That's why I could finally stop writing the Nikki Heat books. I didn't need the fantasy anymore. I have the reality. And it's been better than anything I wrote - except for the part where we both almost died."

"Yeah, I could have done without that part too," Kate agreed. "But we're good now, right? I mean even with my having to be in Albany and everything?"

"Kate, I won't lie. I wish almost every day that New York City was the capital of New York and you could stay home with Lily and the boys and me," Castle confessed. "but if you weren't doing what you're doing, you wouldn't be the woman I love. So whatever it takes for us to make it work, I'm willing to do. Always."


	73. Chapter 73

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 73

The Spring holidays would come tumbling in a rush, with Easter followed by Castle's birthday, followed by Lily's tenth birthday. Fortunately for the Castle family, the State Senate was taking Holy Week and the week after it off, which would cover two out of three. Kate resolved that she would be home for Lily's birthday as well, even if she had to skip out on a session. The Easter egg hunt would be big. The bitter cold of winter had yielded to an uncharacteristic warmth for spring, but with a dearth of moisture. While it might have been a nightmare for gardeners, it was perfect weather to salt the Castle castle lawn with treasures. Lily and the boys would not be the only ones in on the quest, although Lily had decided that she would just be there to help the younger ones. Bernard Kasparov and Manuel Ryan Esposito would be there as well. Even without much rain, the earth had been well soaked by melting snow and the grass was lush. Castle had allowed it to grow long enough to provide a multitude of hiding places. He had been out with a flashlight the night before, putting everything in place.

Castle blew the opening whistle and baskets were soon filled to overflowing. Martha and Jim arrived afterward to join the family for an Easter dinner. "So Mother," Castle asked, as forks met with generous slices of ham, "the boards of Broadway have not been privileged by your presence in a while. Are you busily bringing forward the new generation of actors extraordinaire?"

"I share my insights with a couple of classes," Martha explained, "but the school is doing fine just on the basis of having my name over the door." She reached for Jim's hand. "Jim and I don't know how many years we have left together, so we're taking the time to live them."

"I've handed over most of the work in my firm to my associates too," Jim explained. "I just oversee the bigger cases. I'm actually in the process of selling my practice."

Kate swallowed. "That's quite a step, Dad."

"It is," Jim agreed, "but Martha and I agree that it is time."

"So what are you two doing with you new found freedom?" Castle inquired.

Martha took a deep breath. "What aren't we doing, is more the question. One could spend a lifetime exploring the city. It's been a long time since either of us had the chance to really enjoy the art at MOMA or just stroll through Central Park at our own speed. There are so many struggling actors and playwrights doing wonderful work in makeshift venues and waiting to be discovered. Jim's even taught me to understand the finer points of baseball. We'll be at the stadium for all the games. And of course there will be more time for our magnificent grandchildren."

"Sounds great, Mother," Castle commented, his ham hitting his stomach with a clunk.

When Reese and Jake had changed out of Easter outfits accidentally smeared with green and yellow cupcake frosting, Lily took her place at her piano to play a version of "Here Comes Peter Cottontail." Her brothers and nephew lustily joined in belting it out and Manual gleefully danced along.

While the room was filled with boisterous voices, Castle took Martha aside. "Alright mother, what's really going on?"

"I have no idea what you mean," Martha protested.

"Your speech about slowing down and enjoying art and baseball. That was practiced. I recognized some of your gestures."

Martha took her son's hands in her own. "Richard, darling, neither Jim nor I is getting any younger. Neither are you for that matter. And since his stroke, Jim has had to be very careful. We have to keep constant track of his blood pressure. Even with medication, it's not fully controllable anymore. He could live until he's a hundred but he could also have another stroke tomorrow, one that all of Lily's music might not be able to pull him out of. You and I have a lot in common. It took both of us three tries to choose the right mate. You maintain two households, three, if you count the house in the Hamptons, to allow you to spend as much time as possible with Katherine. I'm doing what's necessary to do the same with Jim."

Castle gathered his mother into a hug. "I understand. But you'll be around for my birthday, right?"

"For my only son? Of course we'll be there," Martha assured him.

* * *

If Castle ever had any doubts as to the twins' parentage, they would have vanished on his birthday. Being born on April 1, he was accustomed to tricks and pranks, the most masterful having been engineered by Kate when she faked a murder. Reese and Jake were obviously chips off both blocks. Kate had let him sleep in while she made breakfast, but when he awoke, he found the sheet so tightly tucked around him that he had a hard time getting up, and he heard twin giggles outside his door. There was something cool and squishy in the tips of his slippers, which he discovered to be play dough. "This day is not starting out well," he muttered to himself. He cleaned the colorful mess from between his toes and shuffled into the kitchen.

"No school today," Jake announced, failing again to suppress giggles.

"Yeah, I tried to pull that one on your grandmother when I was your age," Castle told him. "I didn't even laugh, but it didn't work on her either. What did my dear and considerate wife make for my birthday breakfast?"

"Castle, I'm sorry, I have to go," Kate apologized. "There's an emergency meeting up in Albany, but Topher is going to fly me there and back, so I should be here in plenty of time for your party. The waffle batter is made and so is the coffee, and the twin's backpacks are all set. Lily can get the boys out to the van, since you're not dressed. Then you'll have most of the day to relax."

"That wasn't exactly what I had in mind for today," Castle grouched.

Kate gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Sorry Babe, it can't be helped."

After the kids had been picked up, Castle decided on a very long shower, checking first to make sure nothing had been substituted for the soap. He did find that a SpongeBob SquarePants sponge had been put in the place of his loofah, but he enjoyed using it, so the joke was on the perpetrator. He tried to convince himself that Kate's absence was just as well because he had work to do on Holy Snake Oil, but he wasn't buying it. When he got the kids off the van in the late afternoon, they all immediately retreated to their rooms, claiming homework. His party was scheduled for seven and there was no sign of Kate. She hadn't called or texted either. He hoped that meant she wouldn't be delayed.

Things went from bad to worse. Martha called, claiming that there was an emergency at her apartment. A pipe had burst and she was trying to get a plumber in to fix it. Jim had turned off the water, but there was a lot of mopping up to do. She promised she'd try to make the party as soon as she could.

Sighing, Castle set about making dinner. He had been hoping for Kate's linguine with her special meat sauce, but it clearly was not going to happen. He had just finished loading the dishwasher after sullenly feeding himself and the kids, when the front door opened. Using the trumpet setting on one of her portable keyboards, Lily played a fanfare.


	74. Chapter 74

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 74

A line of costumed people, led by Kate, then Martha and Jim, fed through the door, carrying folders, boxes, and presents. "You made it!" Castle exclaimed. "Wow. And you brought a masquerade party."

"You ain't seen nothing yet, Kiddo," Martha proclaimed.

Kate waved a hand toward the couch. "Have a seat, Babe."

A large easel was quickly set up and Kate propped a huge photograph of a bald baby on it. "Was that me?" Castle asked.

"Yes that was you," Martha declared, "and Richard Castle, this is your life."

"You've got to be kidding!" Castle moaned. "He doesn't have any hair!"

Martha quickly changed the picture to a smirking four year old with intransigent locks falling in his eyes. "At two weeks old was the last time you could keep those magnificent tresses off your face. You were a handful, Richard. I was working my fingers to the bone trying to keep a roof over our heads and you were the scourge of every babysitter I hired."

"Only the ones who drank their lunches from bottles hidden in paper bags," Castle protested.

Martha waved a hand dismissively. "Nevertheless, we managed to survive." She changed the picture again to a large building guarded by stone lions.

"The New York Public Library, my second home. I discovered Conan Doyle, Fleming, and Carolyn Keene," Castle remarked. "I also learned to research a story. I spent hours, years, reading there."

Kate put up another picture. "Comicadia!" Reese shouted excitedly.

"The other place you spent hours, maybe years, reading," Kate observed. "letting that incredible imagination of yours go where no man has ever gone before."

"Of I don't know about 'no man,' Castle argued. "Stan Lee took a pretty good swing at it. He's still swinging. What is he now, a hundred and four? Imagination keeps the wheels turning."

"As it did for you," Martha added, putting up a picture of Edgewyck Academy. "Your literary acumen was built here."

"With the help of a lying murderer, but we'll forget that little bit," Castle allowed, "and I also learned about girls who would break my heart and steal my lunch money. A foreshadowing of alimony."

"Well we can skim over that part," Martha replied, putting up a picture of Faircroft Preparatory academy. "There were lovely girls here."

A woman dropped her mask and stepped forward. "Remember me, Ricky?"

"Lizzie, is that you?" Castle wondered. "How are you?"

"It is me, Ricky, and I'm great. Having you break up with me might have been the luckiest thing that could have happened. I met Jerry Stoffelmeyer. He was a transfer student. Anyway, we went to SUNY Binghamton together, then we got married. We have six kids and ten grandchildren with two more on the way. I can't thank you enough."

"Uh huh," Castle responded doubtfully. "Well I'm glad my fickleness served a higher purpose."

A man unmasked and waved. "Remember me, Rick?"

"Kyle Redmond? You helped me push the cow up the stairs in the prank that got me expelled."

Kyle nodded. "Yeah, sorry about that. Didn't think Principal Duncan would come down on you that hard. Sorry you missed the prom. Audra was really hot."

With a smile, Castle caught Kate's eye. "Nah, I got to dance with someone much hotter at Faircroft. It all worked out fine. I took the equivalency and got into college based on my SATs anyway."

"Eight hundred on the verbal," Martha noted proudly.

"Why am I not surprised?" Kate interjected, putting up another picture.

"College," Castle noted. "Where I wrote my first bestseller, and promptly blew every nickel in six months."

Kyra Blaine, in a cloak, came from behind the crowd and lowered her hood. "You always had enough for a picnic while you were writing another one. Those were good times, Rick."

"Yeah, they were," Castle agreed. "I heard you and Greg were having some good times too. Didn't he just make CFO?"

"He did," Kyra agreed. "And he managed to make back all the money Uncle Teddy stole from his trust fund. If it hadn't been for you and Kate, we never would have known about that. Thanks, to both of you. Once he got over being jealous, Greg was grateful too."

"All part of our cheerful service," Castle replied.

"And then you did move on to me, Kitten," purred a face from behind a cat mask

"Meredith, we did have fun, and you gave me one of the greatest presents of my life."

Hidden under a bulky pumpkin disguise, Alexis slipped a picture of herself as a preschooler holding her father's hand, onto the easel. "Dad, you've been my father, my nanny, my laser tag opponent, my fencing partner, and my rescuer. And now you're a wonderful father-in-law to Sergei, and a loving grandfather to Bernard."

Castle flinched and laid a hand over his heart. "Not quite used to the grandfather appellation yet."

"Well whatever you've been called," Alexis continued, "Rodgers, Castle, father, mentor, friend, you've been incredible, Dad, and you still are. I don't say thank you enough."

Castle swiped at his eyes. "This is beginning to become maudlin. Kate, please. Rescue this."

Kate put up a picture of Castle from an early book jacket. "Richard Castle, you were obnoxious and arrogant. You meddled in my cases and in my life. You turned the Twelfth Precinct upside down."

Ryan and Esposito joined Kate at the easel. "Your wild theories drove us all crazy," Ryan continued.

"They drove you even more crazy when I was right," Castle pointed out.

"True," Esposito accepted. "You did raise our closure rate. And you became the weirdest member of our brotherhood."

"And when Kate moved on to other things and you, as always, stayed by her side, you left a path forward for me and Esposito," Ryan added. "Alexis may run it, but without you, there never would have been the Richard Castle Investigations. It has been a home and a haven for both of us."

Maria stepped from behind Ryan and Esposito and changed the card again. "As has Fill the Cracks been for me. You created it for Kate, but it has served and continues to help so many. Women, children, and the environment are all safer because FTC is there."

Kate moved forward with yet another picture, that of Rick dancing with her against a sunset sky at the Hamptons. "Created it for Kate," she repeated. "My husband, my lover, the father of my children, my friend. From the beginning you were there for me. Your books comforted me though my mother's death, and later you led me to the solution of her murder. Almost from our first case together, you saved my life. You met a killer's gun fire with the pop of a champagne cork. You pulled me from a burning apartment. When I was taken by a mass murderer's psychopathic girlfriend, you came for me. You have always been there for me, even when I pushed you away, and I pushed hard. You are my unrelenting partner in life, no matter what challenges it brings. And I love you for that, unquestionably and unconditionally. So Richard Castle, I give you your life, because you have given me mine."

Kate drew Castle from the couch and into her arms, as everyone applauded. Well, almost everyone. Jake crossed his arms. "Can you get the yucky stuff over so can we have cake?"

Castle grinned at him. "Absolutely. But I'll need you and Reese and Lily to help me blow out the candles."


	75. Chapter 75

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 75

Kate could not believe how long some of her colleagues could drone on. The subject was important, there was no doubt about that. Adjusting or eliminating sentences for non-violent drug users, would not only bring a measure of justice to some whose problem was medical, rather than criminal, it would reduce the prison population, a major expense. From senators who were generally ready to support anything that would tighten the budget, there was remarkable reluctance. Their excuse was they didn't want to be seen as soft on crime. Certainly no one could accuse Kate of that. Her reputation as a much honored cop was still well remembered. And to her, that excuse was ridiculous. Being in prison did nothing to cure drug addiction. It often just exacerbated it. Seeing people received the proper help, including job assistance, would lower the incidence of crime, not raise it. But then, she didn't receive campaign contributions from anyone who made money off the prison system, either. She checked her watch. The next day was Lily's birthday. She couldn't go back home if the Senate adjourned for the day without a vote. Hers was badly needed. She needed to talk to Cap. She waited impatiently for a recess.

The gavel fell on an adjournment. Arguments were to continue the next day, followed by a vote at noon. Lily's party wasn't until five. She still might make it, especially if Topher would be flying back. Once again a thought intruded about how much easier it would be if she flew her own plane, but she had barely started working on her online course. She would definitely have to speed things along if she was to begin in-flight training that summer.

Topher shook his head regretfully. "Sorry Kate, I have a meeting of the Arts for the Differently Abled Group tomorrow afternoon. You know Lindy would flay my skin off strip by strip if I missed it. But listen, I have a friend who's in Albany today, who flies. I think she's going back to the city tomorrow afternoon. I can ask if you can hitch a ride with her."

Kate grabbed Topher's magnificently ugly mug and kissed it. "That would be great!"

* * *

Muriel Dodson had been visiting with her six nieces and nephews, and was more than happy to have adult company for the flight back to New York. "Topher's told me about you," she told Kate. "He said you have an interest in becoming a pilot yourself. "

"That's true. I bought an online course, but I haven't made it very far into it yet," Kate confessed.

"One of the ones you do on your tablet or laptop?" Muriel asked.

"Uh huh," Kate replied.

"We can get you started faster than that," Muriel said. "Take the co-pilot's seat and I'll explain everything that's going on. I have a couple of private students myself. I've used virtual reality with them. It's much better than video to really get a feel for flying. And I understand that you're a member of the bar?"

"Yes," Kate confirmed.

"If you can pass a bar exam, studying for the pilot's exam should be a piece of cake," Muriel declared.

"The Senate session is going to be over in about two months. I'll have time to fly then. Would you be willing to take me on as a student?" Kate queried.

Muriel's grin almost split her face. "Senator, I would be honored."

Muriel explained every move she made on the short flight. Despite the dryness of the Spring, the clouds thickened and it began to rain furiously as they approached the city. Kate could hardly see and realized that Muriel couldn't either. "I can get us in on instruments," Muriel explained, and I will, but it would be safer to divert to Teterboro than to land at Sullenberger. I know the clock is ticking for you, but you should be able to get transportation from New Jersey that will you back to the Bronx in time for your daughter's party."

Kate stared at the ominous gray. "Do whatever you think is best."

It took precious minutes for Muriel to obtain clearance to land, but Kate used the time to call ahead for a car. A driverless Uber was waiting for her, as close as possible to the tarmac, but she was still soaked to the skin before she made it inside. She was glad for the laser driven sensors of the computerized vehicle, as visibility was as limited on the ground as it had been in the air. She added another thing to her mental list. She not only had to learn to fly, she would have to obtain instrument ratings, and have the use of a properly equipped plane. Still, with Muriel as an instructor, that shouldn't be too much of an obstacle. She wondered why Topher hadn't made the introduction earlier. Perhaps it had slipped his mind, or he was unaware that Muriel would be willing to take on another student. She'd ask him when she had a chance.

* * *

It was four-thirty when Kate made it through the back door near the laundry room of the Castle castle. It had stopped raining, at least in the Bronx, but as soaked as she was, she wanted to relieve herself of her muddy shoes and dripping clothes before she left a trail across the house that Castle had no doubt made sure was scrupulously cleaned for Lily's party. After stripping down, she grabbed one of the frayed towels that were kept in the laundry room for mopping up, and wrapped herself in it.

Castle spied her as she entered the kitchen. "Oh Kate, or shall I say Venus rising from the waves?" He pulled her in for a damp kiss. "Much as I appreciate your current attire, as soon as you get some dry clothes on, you should go say hello to Lily. She was playing that Bach Toccata, the spooky one. She only pounds that out when she is really nervous."

"It makes me nervous just to listen to it," Kate confided. "I keep looking for a chandelier to fall or something. I'll grab a robe and check in with Lily. Then I'll get my party dress on."

"Better hurry," Castle advised, "rude as it may be, someone always shows up for one of these things early."

Kate had barely finished blow-drying her hair, when the doorbell signaled the first arrival, quickly followed by a stream of others. Lily had opted for a sleepover, which would be girls only. Jake and Reese would be included in cake cutting and allowed to make their enthusiastic moves to the dance music, but for most of the proceedings, Castle would make sure they had other things to keep them amused. The furniture in the living room had been pushed back to allow for the festivities. Later the floor would be covered by rows of girlish sleeping bags. A theater system and a theatrical popcorn machine had also been set up to allow the girls to watch movies. Since it was a Friday night, they could stay up and sleep in the next morning.

Reese and Jake had whined to Castle that it wasn't fair that Lily and her friends could stay up and watch movies, and they couldn't. Castle answered their protests by telling them that sleepovers were a very girl thing, and that the guests might even be talking about Matt Spenser, like Lily did. With a look of disgust, Reese declared the whole thing dumb. Jake agreed and suggested for their birthday they have something more fun, like a ride on a pirate ship. Castle assured them that when November came, they would have a celebration that had nothing to do with Matt Spenser or giggling girls.

After distributing popcorn and soft drinks, Kate joined the girls to watch a movie about an impoverished teenage girl, who with support from a museum, made a solo flight around the world. She found herself even more inspired than the guests. If the teen could conquer so many obstacles and master the intricacies of flight, so could she.

A/N Castle was referring to the Bach Toccata and Fugue in e minor.


	76. Chapter 76

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 76

Topher's craggy brows rose. "Muriel is taking you on as a student?"

"Why is that surprising?" Kate asked.

"It's just that she hasn't taken on a female student in at least ten years. She used to welcome anyone who was interested, but back then she had a student, Daisy. Daisy was very talented and when she got her license, she became Muriel's co-pilot. That progressed to life, as well as the right hand seat of the plane. Daisy died in an accident - not a plane, a car. Someone had a seizure at the wheel and plowed into her. The driver of the other car hadn't been diagnosed with a problem. It just happened. Even at that time, the car had sensors that should have stopped it, but they didn't. Since the accident, Muriel hasn't taken on any female students. I guess after Daisy, she just found it too painful. Perhaps she's working her way out of it now and you're her way of sticking her toe back into the water."

"Maybe," Kate mulled, "but she wasn't reluctant at all. If anything she seemed really pleased when I asked her to be my instructor."

Topher shrugged. "I don't know, Kate, but whatever Muriel's reason, you've got yourself a damn fine teacher."

* * *

Kate dived through the clouds to view the landing lights. The plane was losing speed but still seemed to be approaching the runway very fast. She landed with a double bump. Her view receded slightly as she was pushed back by the force of inertia as the brakes labored to slow the plane. Her heart pounded as she came to a stop an inch from the fence at the end of the runway. Kate pulled off her VR goggles.

"That's exactly how you never want to do it," Muriel explained. "And you shouldn't have to. Your speed and your approach should be thoroughly monitored by the sensors on your plane. But you need to know how to take control if they fail."

Kate heard a tone of bitterness creep into Muriel's voice. "Have you ever had a sensor failure?" she asked.

Muriel sighed. "Not on a plane."

"Topher told me about your partner," Kate offered gently. "Was the failure of the sensors on the car ever investigated?"

"It would have been if it was in a Nikki Heat book, wouldn't it?" Muriel asked. "A cover-up at a car company would have been exposed."

"It wasn't?" Kate asked.

"Not even close! There was a settlement to Daisy's family. We were going to be married, but Daisy wanted a big wedding that took a lot of planning. The ceremony hadn't taken place yet, so I wasn't considered next of kin. Daisy's family agreed to some kind of a gag order in exchange for the money, so Mercato got away with it."

"Mercato," Kate repeated. "Pretty top of the line."

"Supposedly spotless reputation," Muriel agreed. "But I've kept track over the years . There have been a number of unexplained accidents, and in each case, the investigation was dropped. Too bad you aren't really Nikki Heat."

Kate turned to her. "That's why you took me on as a student. You've read Castle's books and you think I can go after Mercato for you."

Muriel flushed. "It has been a fantasy of mine."

"Then maybe we can turn it into a reality," Kate proposed. "As a State Senator I can't do anything outside of New York, but I can have a look at whatever accidents may have occurred here. They would fall under consumer protection. I'm on that committee and we do have subpoena power, but I have a feeling you knew that."

"I did," Muriel admitted. "I've been searching for a champion for Daisy and others like her for over a decade, and I think I've found her."

"Don't give me any credit yet," Kate urged. "Mercato has a plant upstate. That gives them a lot of pull. But I'll see what I can do."

* * *

"Katie," Jim Beckett smiled as they met at their favorite diner, "what can this old and mostly retired lawyer do for you?"

"Dad, you've been involved in a lot of class actions and consumer cases. What have you heard about Mercato?"

The creases deepened in Jim Beckett's face. "That they are very good at covering up their mistakes. I've had several colleagues try to go after them, but suddenly witnesses forgot what they saw and families made sealed settlements. There are some pretty thick walls there. Were you considering trying to breach them?"

Kate nodded. "I've opened an investigation, but no one has been willing to talk. I'm not even sure who it might be helpful for my committee to subpoena. There's a senator in the district where they have their plant, Brad Milton, but I'm getting zero help from him or his staff. They won't return my calls and even avoid me in the hallways."

"Mercato provides a lot of jobs," Jim pointed out, "and not just the ones on the assembly line. There are the companies that make parts for them and all the businesses that serve their employees. That's a big slice of the local economy. Milton wouldn't want to buck that. You've just got to work around him. The key is someone with a personal connection to a person who's been hurt in some way by Mercato. Any accidents would be a matter of public record. Check out the victims. Look for spouses, lovers, siblings, friends, who might have information about Mercato. All you need is one open door. Once you're in, follow the trail. We both know how well you do that. Use a subpoena if you have to, but you'll get a long way by just talking to people. If they think an injustice has been done, they'll be more than willing to open up. I've found over the years, that once they get started, I've had a hard time getting them to stop."

Kate smiled in agreement. "Yes I've found that in interviews many times. Looking into the circle surrounding a victim was part of a homicide investigation too. Thanks Dad, that helps." A waitress came to the booth and poured coffee. Kate took an appreciative sip. "How are you and Martha doing with your mostly-retirement?"

Jim sighed. "Katie, I think Martha is bored. I know she agreed that's we'd both slow down and smell the roses, but that's not the woman I know. She's keeping her hand in at her school, but she's an actor. She still gets up early to do voice projection exercises. I hear her reciting lines in the shower. She needs to be on stage again. It's her lifeblood. But she won't go to any auditions, even for small projects. She says if she gets a role, it would take her away from me too much. I love spending time with her, but her restlessness is getting to me. I want to see her happy. I wish someone would offer her something she just couldn't refuse, but she's so stubborn, I don't see it happening."

"Well you never know, Dad," Kate comforted. "Something may turn up. Somehow in the Castle family, it always does, especially when a certain Castle helps it along."

A/N A guest tells me I should have cited the Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor last chapter. Yes, that is the one. Sorry.


	77. Chapter 77

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 77

Lily wrapped her arms around Jim Beckett and stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "Grandpa! I didn't know you were coming. Mama isn't here."

"I came to see you," Jim explained. "I need your help, yours and your Daddy's."

Lily's lip trembled. "You're not sick again, are you Grandpa?"

Jim smoothed her hair. "No, I'm fine. Your Daddy and I just want to do something to help Grandma.

"Is Grandma sick?" Lily wondered.

"No," Jim assured his granddaughter. "But she could be happier. Your Mama and Daddy came up with a plan to make that happen.

"So you're going along with the proposal Kate and I worked out?" Castle asked.

"I figure the worst that can happen is it won't work," Jim responded. "How are you coming on the libretto?"

"I have the bones of it," Castle said, "but we need Lily now."

Lily looked up at the two men in confusion. "What do you need me for?"

"To do what you do so beautifully," Jim replied, "write music. You know how happy you are when you're playing it. Well that's how your Grandma is when she's on the stage. She loves acting in musicals. But right now she needs some encouragement. Your Daddy is going to write the lines for the actors, but if you write the songs, your Grandma won't be able to say no."

"What's the story about?" Lily asked.

"It's about a grandmother who takes in eight children after their parents were killed in a fire that burned down their house. Something like it really happened and the musical will raise money for the family. The grandmother thought she was all finished raising a family, but then she has to start over. Two of the children were hurt in the fire. One of them is learning to walk again and another one needs help to breathe. The grandmother has no family or friends who can help her, so she needs help from people she's never met. She's proud and it's very hard for her to ask, but she does it for the children," Castle explained.

"And Grandma's going to play the grandma?" Lily queried. Jim nodded. "Who's going to play the kids?"

"Maybe students from your school or some kids from the daycare at Fill the Cracks. We'll hold auditions," Castle answered. "But we have to get it written first. Can we do that for your Grandma and the family from the fire?"

Lily gave Castle a look she usually reserved for silly questions from her brothers. "Of course we can, Daddy. I can start right now."

"You can start after you finish your homework," Castle corrected. "Now your Grandpa and I have some talking to do."

Lily sighed.

* * *

The committee room was uncharacteristically full, and not all the spectators were friendly. There was a significant contingent with thunder on their faces and Mercator t-shirts covering their chests. In the front rows sat witnesses waiting to testify, flanked by their families and friends. The Consumer Protection Committee was chaired not by Kate, but by Debra (Snuggie) Gilchrist, a more senior senator. Debra called the committee hearing to order and outlined the rules. "In the interests of time, there will be no verbal opening statements except by Senator Beckett, who is spearheading this investigation. Other members of the committee have submitted their statements in writing and they will become part of the record. An opposition statement to these proceedings has been filed by Mercator, and will become part of the record as well. After Senator Beckett's opening statement, witnesses will be called. In the interests of courtesy, I ask that all present remain seated and silent. Anyone creating a disturbance will be removed. Senator Beckett, please proceed."

Kate leaned toward her microphone. "It has been brought to my attention that a number of sensor failures in Mercator cars, particularly the model X-7, have been implicated in both deaths and serious injuries. One of these incidents involved the death of two children in the crosswalk in front of a school. I find this both unthinkable and inexcusable. Some of these incidents have resulted in civil actions. The purpose of this investigation is to determine if danger remains to the citizens of our state. In addition, we will be determining if criminal culpability exists that should be turned over to the Attorney General for prosecution, and if victims require assistance from the state."

"Senator, call your first witness," Debra instructed.

"My first witness is Gina Reynaldo," Kate announced. A thin, dark haired woman took her place sitting in front of the microphone and took a shaky sip from a glass of water. "Ms. Reynaldo, were you involved in a collision with a Mercator X-7?"

Gina leaned over her microphone. "Yes I was, Ma'am."

"Please tell us your story in your own words," Kate urged gently.

I was driving on Greeley Road," Gina began. "I just drop my son, Diego, at school. Thank God, he not with me. Going to work. It was after big storm. Hard to see around snow piles. Car, green X-7, back out of parking lot of A &P. Cave in side of my car. Air bags go off but have broken arm, broken hip, broken leg. Hurt back. Not work for months. I lose apartment. Diego and I move in with my sister. Very hard time."

"Was there a police report?" Kate asked. Gina nodded. "Please answer out loud for the record, Ms. Reynaldo," Kate advised as gently as she could.

"Yes," Gina answered, "Police report say other driver not see because of snow, but car sensor should know I was there. Should stop X-7. Didn't."

"And did you receive any compensation for your injuries?" Kate inquired.

"Car insurance pay medical bills. Give some money for car. No money for lost pay. They say sue Mercator, their fault, but no money for lawyer. No time. Need to work."

"And are you working now Ms. Reynaldo?" Kate continued.

"I work, but not like before. I worked in factory. Now can't stand long time. Can't walk far. I work as cashier, sit down."

"Do you earn as much money as you did before?" Kate asked.

Gina's eyes narrowed in frustration. "Earn half."

"Lazy faker!" shouted a woman in a Mercator t-shirt.

Debra banged a gavel and called for order while the woman was removed.

"Is there anything else you would like to say to this committee, Ms. Reynaldo?" Kate encouraged.

"Make Mercator fix cars so not happen to anyone else," Gina declared.

"You're excused, Ms. Reynaldo," Debra announced. "There will be a ten minute recess before our next witness."

Kate rose to escort Gina, her sister, and brother-in-law out of the room, then returned to confer with Debra. "I'm planning on calling the mothers of the two children who were killed, but I want to make sure no one menaces them. They've seen enough grief. Some of those Mercator people actually looked sympathetic to Gina, but a couple of them, the two guys on the aisle, are getting angrier looking by the minute."

'I'll have the Sergeant-At-Arms have a couple of people keep an eye on them," Debra decided. "If they act up, they'll find themselves wearing something a lot less comfortable than a Snuggie. But how about you? That guy in the middle has been casting murderous looks in your direction."

Kate sized up the man in question. Too much beer and too little, if any, time at the gym. "It he tries," she asserted, subtly flexing her muscles, "he may need some insurance himself."

A/N Mercator and the X-7 are completely made up, but the technology already exists and is in use. The details of the grandmother story were made up too, but there was a grandmother who took in eight kids.


	78. Chapter 78

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 78

Castle gazed out at the horde of Mercator protestors at the end of his driveway and spilling onto the lawn. His address wasn't public, but he knew from his own research that anyone determined enough, could find it. His home security was activated and he wasn't too concerned that they could get into the house, but they could block the van from Latu's Trails and very easily scare the children. The police had come, but all they could do was shoo the protestors onto the sidewalk, which was public property. Unless the crowd was threatening in some way, the police couldn't make it disperse. Deciding he needed some help of his own, he called Alexis, to avail himself of the services of Reese Perkins and Jake Pullman. Up to that point, the twins had never met their namesakes, and this would be a hell of a way to make introductions, but it seemed the best course of action.

Alexis assured Castle that the men would arrive before the van did. Castle arranged for it to park at the Swenson's house, where he, Big Jake, and Big Reese could meet the kids and guide them the back way into the house. Sporting a jockey cap and sunglasses, he slipped out the back door and went around the block to reach his neighbors' home unseen.

Lily was unnerved, but the twins were excited to meet the large men who would be escorting and guarding them. "Wow, we're famous," Jake exclaimed. "We need bodyguards, like the stars at the cons. That guy who was the captain of the spaceship, he had six of them."

Lily's hand was tightly grasped around her father's fingers. "I think we'll manage with two," he reassured his children, "but if we need more help, we can get your Uncle Kevin and your Uncle Javi. The group retraced Castle's route, entering the Castle castle through the back door. Castle dispatched the big Jake and Reese to use their imposing presence as a deterrent to the crowd outside, while he tried to distract Lily and the twins with snacks.

Lily was still uneasy. "Daddy, are people like the ones outside going to try to hurt Mama? Does she have a bodyguard?"

Jake snorted. "Mama doesn't need a bodyguard. She's like the warrior princesses in our games. She's kickass!"

"As much as your mother would appreciate the compliment, I don't think she'd approve of your use of the word," Castle chided. "And there are people in Albany whose job it is to protect Mama and all the senators. She shouldn't have to kick anyone."

Castle pulled out his phone as soon as the kids were settled in their rooms. "Sonofabitch!" Kate hissed. "What the hell do those people think they're doing at our house!"

"They're trying to get you to back off, Kate. Someone had to organize this. Someone had to pay to transport them here from Upstate. Mercator is running scared and that's good. Don't give an inch. The kids and I will be fine. And Jake, our Jake, says you kick ass."

"He's been watching too many videos, but let's hope so, Castle. We have the CEO of Mercator coming in this afternoon, with a band of attorneys."

"Go get 'im!" Castle urged.

* * *

Lex Tillson was not accustomed to either opposition or being questioned. Tall and broad with a full head of white hair and piercing blue eyes, he sat in the hearing room with a member of his cadre of corporate counsel on each side. He had requested that the room be cleared, but Kate and Debra had agreed that Tillson's testimony, more than anyone's, needed to be public. Every available victim, relative, or friend of a victim, was there to note every word. The press was also present in force. Mercator's backers were there as well, with every officer the Sergeant-at-arms could muster, on alert to guarantee the Mercator boosters' behavior didn't get out of control.

A cable station specializing in consumer affairs had asked for the opportunity to both stream live and record the proceedings for later viewing. Despite Mercator's protests, Chairwoman Debra (Snuggie) Gilchrist had given her consent.

Debra called the session to order. "We will be continuing with testimony on the Mercato matter. Our next witness will be Lex Tillson, CEO of Mercator. It may be noted that Mr. Tillson is here under protest and accompanied by counsel. Mr. Tillson's attorneys have submitted their objections. They are part of the record, but this chair finds no reason to sustain them. Verbal questioning will be conducted by Senator Beckett. Additional questions by other committee members may be submitted in writing. Senator Beckett."

"Would you state your name and position for the record," Kate requested.

Tillson looked to his right at a lawyer who nodded. "Lex Tillson, CEO of Mercator Motors."

"Mr. Tillson, what does the position of CEO entail?"

The lawyer on Tillson's left spoke up. "I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific, Senator."

"Fine," Kate acknowledged. "Mr. Tillson, as CEO, does not the final authority for decisions lie with you? Are you not the signatory on agreements? Does not the buck, as they say, stop with you?"

"The lawyer on Tillson's left answered again. "Senator, Mercator is a very large company. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of decisions to be made every day. Mr. Tillson cannot be involved in all of them."

"Then let's zero in on some particular decisions. Mr. Tillson, You have been provided with a list of accidents wherein it has been confirmed that directly or indirectly, failures of sensors on the Mercator X-7 were responsible for deaths and/or serious disabilities. No recall was ever instituted. In fact, Mr. Tillson," Kate pressed, "in multiple lawsuits, victims were provided with settlements on the condition of their silence. Those agreements constitute part of the record. This committee has studied the cost of automobile recalls. Those settlements amounted to considerably less of a financial burden on Mercator than a recall would have. Was it your decision, Mr. Tillson, to allow the people sitting here today, and their loved ones, to be killed or maimed to save Mercator money?"

The lawyer on Tillson's right shook his head and handed Tillson a sheet of paper. "On the advice of counsel, I am invoking my Fifth Amendment rights not to answer on the grounds that I may incriminate myself," Tillson declared flatly.

Eyes hard, Kate pressed her lips together in a tight smile. "I'm not surprised Mr. Tillson. I'm not surprised at all."

* * *

"So the bastard took the Fifth," Castle reiterated when Kate called. "So what do you do now, Kate?"

"Legally our committee can't regard that as an admission of guilt, Castle, but there's nothing to stop the press from interpreting it that way. The video of Tillson saying it, has already become a meme and there are petitions circulating all over the web for the Consumer Safety Commission to examine Mercator with a fine tooth comb. I just saw the first web ad from a competing company claiming that their sensors were modified to comply with the highest safety standards and citing statistics to prove it. They are using Mercator's exposure, as an opportunity to hype their own cars. The courts will sift through all this eventually, but Mercator will be bleeding sales."

"Which means their board will probably throw Tillson and anyone else involved with the coverup under the bus," Castle guessed.

"And institute a full recall," Kate added. "Mercator will pay for this, and Snuggie and I are discussing a law that would aid the victims of Mercator or any other company that tries to pull off a stunt like this, and then bill the perpetrators."

"Nice!" Castle exclaimed.

"So how's our front walk looking?" Kate asked.

"The population has declined precipitously," Castle reported. "Big Jake and Big Reese are going to stay around for a while yet. Ryan and Espo have also taken a shift or two, but I expect that fairly soon, our visitors may be too busy job hunting to bother us anymore."

"And how's Lily doing?" Kate inquired.

"She asked me me if I could pipe music outside the way we do at Halloween and Christmas and _al fresco_ parties. I activated the speakers in the trees on the lawn and Lily blasted the crowd with her Toccatta, volume dialed to eleven with full organ effects. That was more intimidating than Big Reese, Big Jake, Ryan, and Esposito put together."

Kate's laughter poured through the phone. "I don't doubt it."


	79. Chapter 79

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 79

The State Senate session was over for the year and Castle had decided to throw a celebration. After the dangers and injuries they'd endured from Kate's investigation of Robert Parser, as well as their role in protecting Lily and the twins, Reese Jenkins and Jake Pullman were gratefully invited. The twins were bouncing with excitement in anticipation of the presence of their larger namesakes.

Rick had planned a conglomeration of upscale versions of fast food, as a salute to stakeout fare. There were burgers with every possible fixing, thick potato wedges, coffees to order, soft drinks, and a panoply of sandwich makings with fresh baked bread. There were also freshly made tortilla chips and an assortment of fancily crafted, allergy friendly donuts, to accommodate the smaller Reese and Jake.

At the party, Reese Castle presented his version of a cover for a Reese and Jake comic book, in which the twins would team up with their namesakes for valiant adventures. Jake Castle wanted to research his role by going on a real life stakeout, claiming that no one would suspect a kid. With a convincingly regretful look, Jake Pullman informed him that he was not yet old enough to obtain a P.I. license, but congratulated him on his scheme. Reese countered by suggesting that the stories could take place on Earth forty-seven where the rules would not apply.

The gathering stretched into the late evening and the twins insisted that their older namesakes tell them their bedtime stories. The two men picked picked the most boring stakeout stories they could think of, to send the boys to dreamland. Lily decided to turn in early to get ready for the following day, when the _Moving In With Grandma_ would be performed, and the adults called it a night after poker game during which Jake Pullman won the majority of the pots.

* * *

Martha paced up and down the floor of her dressing room in a small theater in lower Manhattan. She hadn't been this nervous since she'd returned to Broadway in a Tom Stoppard play. Back then, Richard had managed to talk her down, but at that moment, he was busy schmoozing contributors. Jim was checking on the seats allotted to the biggest donors and Lily was playing piano for the first-time child actors who were being put through warm-ups by the musical director, Larry Pitchwick. The cast included the twins, who were ecstatic at being given small walk-ons, although Jake had to be urged not to mug from upstage. Who would have ever thought they'd get the great Lawrence Pitchwick for their tiny little production? She had been sure that Richard had twisted an arm or two somewhere, until Larry had explained that he had been brought up by his grandparents after losing his parents, and just wanted to support the cause.

Martha ran through her own vocal exercises. Dammit, she sounded like a grandmother! At least she didn't sound like the great-grandmother she was. The huskiness of her voice would lend reality to the part. She could still hold a pitch and sustain a note, as long as it wasn't for six measures with a fermata. Fortunately, Lily wasn't that cruel and neither was Larry. The familiar routine calmed her enough to sit down in front of the lighted mirror. She immediately regretted it. She had let her signature red hair go gray, or at least a still attractive silver. As expert as she was with make-up, there was still a limit to how much of the passage of time she could disguise. Inside she still felt thirty - maybe forty. Her reflection was always a shock, but at least it was appropriate to the role.

A great role it was. Martha had met with the title grandmother, Madge Melson, and they had talked for hours. Madge was a widow and had been one for twenty years. Her Joey had been the love of her life and the idea of ever finding another man she could feel for as strongly, had been unthinkable. She had carved out a life on her own. Within her limited budget, she had gone where she pleased and done what she pleased, whether it was making lopsided pottery or spending the day at a film festival. She'd cooked for one, and only what she liked. That was all over. Now much of a day was occupied with just meals and laundry. Then there was homework and transporting her grandchildren where they needed to go. Nights of sleeping as soundly as was possible at her age were gone, as she was now constantly alert to night terrors and cries in the dark.

Still, she was not defeated. She took every day, sometimes every hour, as it came, dealing with each task at hand. She found more joy than she would have thought possible in the little things, an "A" on a spelling test or a grandchild making a double play. Madge had helped Martha realize how incredibly lucky the actress was to enjoy the freedom and opportunity she had. Martha would do Madge proud and portray her for the magnificent woman she was. And the proceeds from the performance might buy Madge a small measure of respite.

Martha could hear the orchestra tuning up. All the musicians had donated their time, as had the costumers, stagehands, and crew, and they were all wonderful. The performance was going to be brilliant - if she could just make it out of the wings to sing Richard's simple but plaintive words to the haunting opening song Lily had composed. Lit by a spot in center stage, the grandmother, as portrayed by Martha, would question how a loving God could orphan eight children. It was the hook of the show, and Martha was determined that it would be perfection. She commanded her feet to bring her to her place.

* * *

The audience rose as one, as hand in hand the cast took their curtain call, bowing over the edge of the stage. Lily was called up by Lawrence Pitchwick to take a bow as composer. Jim Beckett strode up on stage to present a bouquet of two dozen long stemmed roses to Martha and smaller purple bouquet of lisianthus to Lily.

In the center of the third row, Kate teasingly elbowed Castle. "You don't get a bouquet for writing the thing?"

"I got the author's credit in the playbill. They used my book jacket photo and mentioned my three latest books. For an author that's better than flowers. However," Castle suggested, "if you would like to make a suitable congratulatory gesture later, I'd be open to whatever you have to offer."

* * *

The performance was followed by a supper paid for by Castle in the private room of a kid friendly restaurant. The guests included not only all the children in the cast, but Madge Melson and her real life grandchildren as well.

Kate and Rick noticed that Lily had chosen to sit with one of the boys in the cast, who was also a classmate at Latu's Trails. "Hmm," Kate noted, "looks like Matt Spenser has some competition."

Castle eyed the boy carefully. "I like Matt Spenser better. Putting a poster on her wall and giggling with her girlfriends over the coolest hair, is a lot safer than real life contact. I mean especially since she could be hitting puberty any day. You've already had the talk right? How old were you when...? I read it's happening younger all the time."

"Castle, Lily and I had the talk, at least the first one, the first time she had a good look at what was under the sink in our bathroom. And I was eleven when I got my monthly gift. She's probably got some time. And the young man just punched her in the arm. That's still almost as safe as a poster. Do I have to worry about you trying to buy a shotgun?"

"No," Castle replied. "But in a year or two I might put Big Reese and Big Jake on personal retainer."

A/N Thanks to CK for the flower advice.


	80. Chapter 80

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 80

"So you're expanding your school?" Castle asked.

"Not so much expanding as evolving," Martha explained. "After _Moving In With Grandma_ , I've come to realize that education in the theater should encompass all aspects, not only my worthy craft. So I will be instituting classes in writing for the stage, costume design,, scenery, lighting, music, and of course, direction. We will be performing our own dramas using the talents of students from every course of study, featuring new faces, and occasionally," Martha pointed at her own face, "an old one. I will bring in stellar guest instructors from the Broadway world - and possibly you too."

"Thank you so much, Mother," Castle responded dryly,

Martha was undeterred. "It will be magnificent, a true cornerstone in theater history."

"Not to rain on Martha Rodgers' parade, but where are you going to get the money?" Castle inquired.

"Oh didn't I tell you that part? We'll be getting a grant from the American Theater Wing to fund the transition. After that, we should be able to cover the costs with tuition, as we do with the acting classes now."

Castle took Martha's hand. "And what about all the time you wanted to spend with Jim?"

Martha patted her son's cheek. "I will be. Jim will be drafting some of our more important contracts and writing grant reports. It won't be too strenuous, but we'll be working together. Richard, this never would have happened without you. I just want you to know that I'm very grateful."

Castle kissed her forehead. "You are very welcome, Mother. And now I have a favor to ask in return."

"What do you need?" Martha asked.

"Kate has been so enthusiastic about flying that she wants to see that new play about Amelia Earhart, but it's sold out. I've tried all my sources, even the underground ones, and I couldn't find a ticket for any amount of money or even a human organ."

"I'll see what I can do," Martha promised.

* * *

Kate snuggled contentedly against Castle's shoulder on the post-theater cab ride home. "Babe, I don't know how you got seats. It was supposed to be impossible."

"It was," Castle admitted, "except for the maneuverings of Martha Rodgers. There was one of Mother's former students in the cast, the guy who played the mechanic."

"Oh he was good," Kate offered.

Castle nodded. "In more ways than his acting. He's dating a ticket broker. When a pair came up for sale from some celebrity who had to cancel because of a last minute movie role, I got the call."

"Must be some role," Kate commented.

Castle shrugged. "Remake of the James Gunn horror flick. Can't see how they'll be able to top the original."

"And it was nice of Alexis to volunteer to watch the kids."

"She didn't exactly volunteer," Castle confessed. "I traded her three evenings of watching Bernard so she could have some time alone with Sergei. Still, I think I got the better part of the deal. I get more chance to initiate my grandson into the Jedi way. The Castle force is strong in that one."

Kate rolled her eyes. "I'm sure Sarah and Tim Kasparov will be delighted to hear that."

"You want to open a bottle of wine when we get home?" Castle suggested, sensing that a change of topic would be a good move. "I bought a new case of your favorite red."

"That would be nice, but I can't," Kate demurred. "Muriel is taking me up tomorrow and I shouldn't have any alcohol in my system."

"How many hours do you have in now?" Castle asked.

"Thirty," Kate replied. "With luck, I'll have my forty and get through my FAA testing before I have to worry about regular trips to Albany again."

Castle's stomach twisted. He'd have to check on the latest safety upgrades. When Kate was ready to go up on her own, she would be wrapped in the most protective flying metal he could acquire.

* * *

"I thought we'd take a different direction today," Muriel told Kate as they strapped into Muriel's sturdy one engine turbo-prop. "I want you to fly over woods, get a feeling for your height above trees and then check your accuracy with the instrumentation. If you ever need to make an emergency landing, it will be an important skill to have. I filed a flight plan to take us over Westchester County. There are lots of woods surrounding the homes and roads there. They will pose a good challenge."

"Always up for a challenge," Kate said.

Muriel laughed. "Tell me something I don't know."

The plane dipped low over the trees as Muriel put Kate through her paces. Kate carefully scanned the ground below. Her smile vanished. "What the hell is going on there?" The woods had been cleared, not for a home, but for what appeared to be a military compound. It was impossible to pick out individual figures, but there seemed to be a mass of khaki in motion, with flashes of light off metal. "We'd need to be lower to for me to be sure, but it looks like there are troops drilling down there. There aren't any army or National Guard bases around here. I wonder if it's some kind of private militia. Can we take it down more?"

"It will be good practice for you," Muriel replied. "Just circle around and come in again."

Kate did as she was instructed. "I still can't make out for sure what those men are carrying, but I can see a couple of big guns mounted on trucks. Those aren't anything anyone would use for hunting, unless they were hunting Tyrannosaurus Rex." Kate heard the ping of metal off the fuselage of the plane. ""Fuck! Someone is shooting at us!"

"I'll take it," Muriel declared grimly, putting the plane into a rapid climb. Muriel took the fastest route she could to the closest airfield and obtained emergency clearance to land. Her hands were steady on the yoke, but Kate could see the sweat on her forehead and the stains growing beneath her arms. As soon as Muriel brought the plane to a stop on a small runway, she and Kate hurried down the steps. Muriel ran her hands over a deep dent in the metal. 'It didn't penetrate, but something definitely hit us."

"No legitimate operation would shoot at a plane like that." Kate asserted. "If they were looking to scare me off, they have another thing coming. I'm going to find out who those bastards are and what they're up to."

"The damage isn't enough to keep us from flying safely," Muriel declared. "I'll get us back to Sullenberger and file a report. But without injuries or fatalities, I wouldn't expect much of an investigation."

"Just as well," Kate offered. "I don't want these guys tipped off before I get to the bottom of this. If they move their operation, we may never find out who they are."

* * *

Private First Class Dewey Millstone stood nervously at attention in front of the angry glare of Colonel Ross Peris. "What were you thinking, soldier?" Peris growled. "Shooting at a plane? Were you trying to give away our position? If by some weird stroke of fate you had brought it down, we'd have the NTSB swarming all over these woods. Now you go out there and help get everything under camo. If anyone else comes looking, we can't afford to be spotted. You and all the rest of the troops will be restricted to quarters. You can explain to your brothers in arms how you accomplished their confinement. I'm sure they'll be thrilled with you. Then you will be assigned to late guard duty for the next month. You will also be assigned to make sure the latrines are spotless and odorless. You've stunk up the place enough already. And the next time don't expect me to be so understanding."

With a trembling hand, Dewey saluted. "Yes sir."

As soon as Dewey had left his office, Colonel Peris picked up his secured phone. "We've had an incident. We're going to have to put the operation on hold for a few days."


	81. Chapter 81

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 81

Castles eyes darkened. "Someone was shooting at the plane?"

"It's all right Babe," Kate soothed. "The bullet didn't even make it through the fuselage."

"That is not all right," Castle protested. "It's bad enough having you risk a crash. You're not supposed to be in danger of getting shot. You were supposed to be finished with all that."

"It's not like I went looking for it," Kate retorted. "But Castle, now that I've found that compound, I need to find out who those people are. Who knows what they're planning to hit?"

"Kate, it's not your job. You're supposed to be making laws, not enforcing them. Call Homeland Security. I hate to think I'm saying this, but call Fallon. He's in charge of the whole East Coast now. He can put his people on it."

"Castle, considering that in the two cases we had with him, Times Square would have been a radioactive disaster without our intervention and he couldn't find a mad bio-weapon killer, there's no way I'm going to call him and just hand over what I saw. I want to at least go see him and make sure he understands."

"Fair enough," Castle agreed, "but I'm going with you."

* * *

Mark Fallon's temples had grayed but he still sat ramrod straight in his chair. His face was skeptical. "You're telling me there's a militia hiding in Westchester County?"

"I'm telling you there are people with large guns hiding in Westchester County. Whether they are a militia, terrorists, or a scout troop that got out of hand, is up to you to find out," Kate insisted. "But if you don't, I will. I've given you the coordinates."

"Fine, I'll check it out," Fallon responded, "but it's hard to believe a group like that would be operating right under our noses."

Kate stomped down the steps of the Federal Building. "Castle, I have to do something. I can't just leave things in the hands of that jerk."

Castle swallowed. "You're not going to try to hunt them down in the woods are you? Kate, it's not like you can go in there with a squad of police anymore. They could take you out before you get close."

"Relax, Babe. I'm going to let my fingers do the stalking. I want to find out just who that land belongs to and what potential targets could be reached unseen by those trucks. If I can figure out who they are and what their mission is, then I can hand it over to Fallon on a silver platter," Kate promised. "I'll need to hook into the system at RCI."

"That can be arranged," Castle allowed.

* * *

In her home office, Kate stared at the screen of her laptop. "Sonofa... Castle!"

Castle came running from his own office. "What is it? What have you got?"

"That land belonged to a friend of yours, Castle, or at least a poker buddy, Bush Baldwin."

Not exactly a buddy," Castle pointed out, "His politics were somewhere to the right of your local skinhead. He did write successful books, the whole _Holding the Line_ series. But he's been dead for years, blown up by his own ammo dump. I believe everything he had went into some kind of wing-nut trust."

Kate nodded. "Uh huh, that land is owned by a trust now. That area is unincorporated. They can build compounds, even roads, without permits."

"They would still have to hire someone to do it," Castle pointed out. "Materials would have to be purchased and hauled in. There would have to be a record of those transactions somewhere."

"That's right," Kate agreed, "but those would be some very tiny needles in a very big haystack."

"We could ask Alexis to find them," Castle proposed. "She's like a magnet for tiny needles. But what about potential targets?"

Kate stretched and pushed her hair behind her ear. "I don't know, Castle. There are some private homes in the area, more like estates, but I don't know why a militia would be interested in any of them. I can do some deep background and see if any of them had connections or conflicts with Bush Baldwin, but it's a real long shot."

"Maybe there's a clue in one of his books," Castle speculated. "We both wrote fiction that had some basis in reality, however tenuous his was. I can start going through his works and see if anything jumps out at me."

Kate stuck out her hand to Castle and he grasped it in his. "Thanks, Babe. I know you wanted no part of this, so I appreciate it."

The sooner we solve this, the sooner we turn everything over to Fallon and the safer you'll be. I will put my speed reading skills to work, but that doesn't mean I'll find anything," Castle cautioned.

Kate squeezed his large fingers. "Well at least you'll be trying."

* * *

Castle tucked his reading glasses into the pocket of his shirt and rubbed his eyes. He was done in. Bush Baldwin had written a hell of a lot of books, not like Patterson. but a considerable output. It was three A.M. and so far Castle hadn't found a clue. He hoped he'd see with fresh eyes in the morning. Groaning as he rose from his chair, he walked the few stiff steps to Kate's office. She was sprawled in her seat with her eyes closed. He laid a hand gently on her shoulder and kissed her temple. "Time for bed," he murmured.

Kate's lashes lifted and she squinted at the time in the corner of her screen. "Oh, Castle, I didn't mean to keep you up so late. The kids will be up in a few hours. I'm sorry."

"You kept yourself up too. So we should both get some shuteye before we cope with the hungry horde. Come to bed now," he urged. "High thread count sheets and soft pillows await."

"Alright," Kate agreed. "I wasn't getting any more done here anyway."

The couple slipped sleepily into pajamas. Kate climbed into bed and Castle began to get in beside her. "Wow!" he exclaimed, pulling back.

Kate turned in bed to look up at him. "What?"

"I don't know why I didn't remember before. Bush wrote another book, under the pseudonym, J.K. Heller. He did it in collaboration with his daughter, Anne. It was one of those anti-Christ things. You know, the kind where a charismatic figure acquires a following by spreading lies, but is determined to damn the world to hell. He sets himself up in a fiefdom, shielded by his possessed followers, people of color, as I recall, then the heroes risk like and limb to take him down and save the world. The book didn't do well. Then someone bought the rights and made a video that was distributed over the internet. It picked up a real following among white supremacist groups. They were convinced the villain of the book really existed and was trying to wipe them out. They wanted to find him and purge him from the earth. The fervor died down after a while, but some of those groups are still out there trying to decide who is going to visit dark doom upon society."

"Castle, someone thinks almost everyone who runs for office is the anti-Christ. I had it leveled at me a couple of times when I went after Mercator," Kate recalled. "Most of the people making those accusations are just harmless cranks."

"There's nothing harmless about truck mounted guns, Kate," Castle declared. "If these people really have been taken in by Anne Baldwin's imaginings, we need to find out if their chosen anti-Christ lives in Westchester County, before there's a holy war."

A/N there is a Westchester County, but the rest of this is totally made up.


	82. Chapter 82

Life Goes On

Chapter 82

Anne Baldwin paced the living room of her log home. For the money she controlled, the furnishings were remarkably simple. The plank floors were bare and the furniture hewn out of native timber. She was completely off the grid. Her fruits and vegetables came from her garden and what she put up for the winter. Meat was venison she shot in the woods, supplemented by the chickens and rabbits she raised. Water came from her well, heat from her wood stove, and whatever power she needed was provided by several small windmills that charged the batteries in her cellar. She had nothing against technology. The satellite dish on her roof hijacked signals which brought her the internet, providing phone service and keeping her in touch with the world. There wasn't much to watch or listen to. Only one television network and a couple of radio broadcasts told anything resembling the truth. But the bloggers kept her updated.

And of course there was Colonel Peris. She was disappointed with him, intimidated by some inconsequential private plane. And recruiting a man who would be stupid enough to betray their position by shooting at one? That was unacceptable. Still, none of the bloggers had picked up any hint of trouble and no one had attempted to approach Peris' compound. She saw no reason the operation couldn't go off as planned.

She had no doubts about the mission. She and her followers had been observing Booker Fredricks for years. There was no doubt he was a traitor to his race, and she'd slowly realized he was more. For years he had been taking in the mud people and educating them. When they'd left his care, they'd gone on to the jobs and positions that should have been occupied by God's chosen white people. Fredricks was the spawn of the devil and would have to be met with cleansing fire. It would be soon now, and if Peris couldn't get it done, she would tighten the purse strings to provide motivation.

* * *

"Well what do you think?" Castle asked as he and Kate regarded the stout turbo-prop in a hanger on the outskirts of Teterboro Airport.

"A Yo-Yo Aircraft, Castle?" Kate questioned. "I've never heard of one."

"That's because there are only a few in existence," Castle explained. "Remember about twelve years ago when Chewy Lord had that crash right after leaving Santa Monica Airport?"

"Of course. It was huge news. There was some kind of mechanical failure and he had to maneuver even more heroically than he did in his movies, to keep from hurting anyone on the ground. He got pretty banged up himself," Kate recalled.

Castle nodded vigorously. "Right. The name Yo-Yo, comes from hitting the ground but returning to the air. It's also some kind of flight maneuver."

"Uh huh," Kate agreed. "Nothing Muriel has had me do, but I've seen it."

"Anyway," Castle continued, "after that, Chewy decided he was going to find the best aviation engineers to put together the safest small plane that would fly. He cut no corners and set up his own facility to manufacture them. He had one made for himself, one for his daughter, and a couple for his friends. This one was owned by Carrie Mayhew before she passed away. There aren't any other pilots in her family, so her daughter is selling it. Kate I've done all the research. Not one of these planes has ever had any kind of a problem and a single engine turbo prop is the safest kind of small plane you can fly."

"Muriel agrees with you about single engine turbo props, That's why she flies one. But Babe," Kate wondered, "if these planes are so rare, won't this one cost a fortune?"

"I can afford it, Kate," Castle assured her. "The one thing I can't afford is to lose the love of my life. So if you are going to be gadding about in a plane, I want to make sure it stays in the air until you want it to come down."

"I'd like to have Muriel and her mechanic come and take a look at it," Kate offered.

"Sounds good to me," Castle agreed. "Now you want to see the inside? It has the coolest passenger seats - and game tables that come out of the bulkhead."

Kate couldn't resist his still boyish enthusiasm. "Sure Castle. Let's go have a look."

* * *

Lily was frustrated. She already played music better than Kirk did and had a much easier time writing it. There were still things her new teacher had to share, but she wanted more. She loved Latu's Trails, but no one there, except Kirk, had the passion for music she did. None of the kids from the young people's orchestra understood what sprang from her mind either. She wanted a school with more kids like her. Daddy did so much for Latu's Trails and to give her the rest of her music; she didn't know how to tell him she wanted more. She'd asked her big sister Alexis how she'd talked to Daddy when she wanted something. Alexis had assured her that her father would understand, but breakfast in bed wouldn't hurt.

Lily put her plan together. She could do breakfast for Mama and Daddy. But she'd have to be careful. She knew sometimes they locked the door in the morning because they were cuddling. If she or her brothers knocked, they always had the smiles they wore when they were pretending they weren't upset. That was the last thing she wanted. Using the breakfast room would be better. She'd just have to do it on a weekend and start early. And she'd have to keep Reese and Jake from messing things up. That would be the hardest part.

Lily had set her alarm for five A.M.. Even her brothers wouldn't be up yet. She knew Daddy and Mommy kept their recipes on the kitchen tablet. Daddy had given her the password last Christmas when she was keeping her brothers from destroying the kitchen while they made treats. She needed Daddy's chocolate chip waffles. Mama didn't always like the stuff Daddy made with chocolate, but she loved those. She'd seen Daddy use the waffle iron all the time. He'd even let her get a couple of waffles out once, while he watched. It wasn't that hard.

She mixed the batter and plugged in the iron to heat. When the light went out, she poured in the batter, filling all the holes, and closed the top. As it began to bake, the batter started to spill over the sides. She got a paper towel to try to clean the counter, and Reese and Jake came racing in, drawn by the aroma of vanilla and chocolate. As Lily tried to to shoo them back to their room, a burnt scent began to fill the air. Lily rushed back and opened the waffle iron, sticky from drips of overflowing batter. The waffle inside was blackened past saving. Tears began to flow down her cheeks.

Castle shifted against his pillow as his nose wrinkled. "Do you smell something burning?" He took another sniff as Kate opened her eyes. There was no mistaking it. He ran for the kitchen, with Kate following, thankful that at least the smoke detector wasn't going off.

Lily turned her wet and batter speckled face to her parents. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to make a nice breakfast for you, and now everything is ruined."

Castle surveyed the kitchen and pulled her close. "Sweetheart, I make worse messes than this almost every morning. You just don't see them. I'm just glad you didn't hurt yourself. We can clean this up together and you can tell me the occasion for - was that supposed to be a chocolate chip waffle?"

Lily nodded sadly. As she and her parents scrubbed the sticky spots together, she explained.

A/N I made up the plane, but based on real statistics. You can probably figure out who the actor is. If you've never had a misadventure making waffles, you are better than I am.


	83. Chapter 83

Life Goes On

Chapter 83

Kate found Castle at his desk, with his face in his hands and rubbing his eyes. "What's wrong Babe?"

"What's wrong is that the best place for Lily would be the pre-college program at Juilliard."

"What's wrong with that?" Kate asked.

"The auditions are really stiff," Castle explained. "If she doesn't make it, it could break her heart."

"She had to audition for the Young People's Orchestra, and she did fine," Kate pointed out.

"Sure," Castle acknowledged, "but that was just interesting to her. It didn't have as much riding on it. Being with kids like her is her fondest dream now. If she blows it, I don't know what she'll do. I don't know what we'll do."

"This from the man who got twenty-two rejections before publishing his first novel. Lily has at least as much verve as you did. She gets it from both of us. I think she'll get in, Castle. But if she doesn't, in a few years she'll be eligible for both of the public special high schools that deal with music, and the private music schools as well. She can always do Juilliard for college."

Castle shrugged and sighed. "You heard about the tailspin Alexis went into the first time she was rejected from Stanford, but we weren't together then, except as partners. You didn't really see it. She was a wreck. It broke my heart Kate."

"Castle, at the time, she was the only daughter of a doting single father. You were a great one, you still are, but she was used to having her way. Lily has had to make a lot more adjustments. She has to deal with her brothers. She has to deal with her mother coming and going. She's had to cope with being trucked up to Albany and back. She's resilient. And Alexis bounced back. It just took her a while, and she got in everywhere. But there wasn't anything more you could have done to help Alexis get into Stanford the first time. If this is what Lily wants, we can help her prepare. When are applications due?"

Castle consulted his screen. "For piano, not until January, a couple of weeks after the Senate is back in session. Then the auditions aren't until the Spring."

"Then that gives us the better part of a year. If she doesn't feel she's getting enough from her new teacher, get her another one."

Castle's eyes lit. "Yes! I can check the backgrounds of all the teachers in the area, see who has the best record of getting kids into the program. And I can see who has group classes too. That will give her a chance to be around students who share her passion."

"Castle, before you plunge into your new search, I came in here because I got a call from Muriel. She and Gillian, her mechanic, checked the Yo-Yo out. They gave it a thumbs up. So if you still want to buy it..."

Castle snorted. "Of course I want to buy it. If I can't hire a fighter escort for you, it's the next best thing. I'll let the aircraft broker know, and wire the funds."

Kate stroked his hair. "You know Castle, when I was growing up, one thing I never pictured was marrying a man who would buy me an airplane."

Castle pulled her into his lap. "Well you never would let me buy you a pony."

* * *

It had taken days, but Alexis had worked her way through the listings of vendors and contractors who could have worked on a project from the It Stops Here trust that Bush Baldwin had set up. As private companies, there was no sunlight on their transactions, but that didn't keep the brags from going out on blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. She'd had to hack her way into private accounts to get the whole picture, but what emerged matched her father's theory and Kate's account. There had been a compound built where Kate said it was, and a private road had been forged through the woods to get there. The money had flowed from the trust, but could not have done so without Anne Baldwin's knowledge and consent as trustee. The Baldwin road intersected with private roads leading to several estates. Alexis emailed the list of properties and their owners to Kate.

Kate perused the list Alexis had sent to her. One name jumped out, Booker Fredricks. Though white, Booker had a long long history in the civil rights movement, as did his parents and grandparents. The first Fredricks had come to the US as immigrants, fleeing oppression in Eastern Europe. Fredricks had been an Ellis Island name, assigned by an official who couldn't fit their real ones on a line in a form. They had scraped by in the tenements of New York, building a life for themselves and extending a hand to anyone who needed it. As each new wave of immigrants arrived, whether from abroad or from the southern states, the Fredricks saw the same bigotry and oppression. They passed their passion for fighting it, onto their children, who had become freedom riders, getting hosed and beaten for their efforts. Their son Boris took a bride, Rebecca, he had met at a protest. They named their son Booker in honor of Booker T. Washington, assuring his life in the schoolyard would not be easy. He took the abuse to heart, realizing that if his fellow students could be so mean-spirited over something as trivial as a name, so much more hate could be heaped on the people his family had so staunchly defended.

Booker became successful in finance, noting that in the upper echelons, there was were still incredible divides by color and religion. He'd left Wall Street just before the crash during the second Bush presidency. Retreating to an isolated estate, he began taking in and mentoring those he deemed talented but disadvantaged, regardless of background. Many of his proteges had gone on to success in a variety of arenas and continued to reach out to others still trying to get a foot on the ladder. If ever there was someone Anne Baldwin's followers would despise, it would be Booker Fredricks. Kate got all her materials together to present to Fallon. This would be more than a silver platter, it would be pure platinum.

* * *

"Now let me get this straight, you're saying that the military compound in the woods is paid for by Anne Baldwin through a right wing trust and the most likely target is the estate of Booker Fredricks?" Fallon reiterated skeptically.

Kate put a hand on Castle's arm as he stiffened in his chair. "That's exactly what I'm telling you, Agent Fallon. You've had more than enough time to check out the compound. What have you found?"

"We did get a satellite view of an installation at the coordinates you provided. Not much to see. If they do have the guns you reported, they weren't visible. We saw no signs of maneuvers either. We will keep the area under surveillance, that's the best we can promise. It's private property. Without more evidence of an actionable threat, I can't just send men in there. But if there is any motion down the road leading out of the compound, I can get people mobilized."

Kate gritted her teeth. "Hopefully, before they shoot the hell out of Booker Fredricks and his people."

"Best I can do," Fallon insisted, rising to let the Castles know the interview was over.

A/N I wrote this before receiving some of your comments about Juilliard and the pre-college program. Great minds think alike. Thanks for all the suggestions. I use them when I can.


	84. Chapter 84

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 84

Private Dewey Millstone tried not to breathe as he ran his brush under the rim of the chemical toilet. Even without the shit, the latrines stank, and he had the impossible job of fixing them. Standing guard, even in the middle of the night, was easier, much easier. He had only to make sure the camo covers on the gun vehicles didn't slip. If anyone approached the compound, the monitors on the road and in the woods would immediately alert him - and Colonel Peris. But it was quiet. If he tried hard enough, he could almost sleep standing up.

Anne's fingernails made red half-moons in her palms. Fredricks was doing it again. One of his n****** disciples was launching a venture, classes brainwashing kids about the dangers of guns. Those people were always trying to leave the good people of the country without a way to defend themselves. Hadn't they heard of the Second Amendment? But then this was spiritual warfare. When the power what stripped from the God-fearing faithful, the demons would swarm and cover the earth with their dark and evil spawn. She had to get Peris moving. God must triumph and the enemy must be stopped. No picayune plane could interfere with God's holy war.

Peris needed no caller ID to know Anne Baldwin was calling. Her calls had been coming closer and closer together, urging action and threatening to cut his funding if she didn't see some soon. It had been less than an hour since her last one. Even if he had never been on the front lines, he still had the feeling he'd had sometimes in conflicts, that something was wrong. But there was nothing he could do. His men weren't paid much, but as real men, they needed something to support their families and their pride. His supplies wouldn't last forever either. Men got hungry when they were bored. Despite his misgivings, the mission would have to move forward. But he would make it as difficult to spot as possible. The men would remain in their barracks and the camo would stay in place until nightfall. In darkness, they could use night vision goggles to remove it and get the vehicles and the strike force moving down the road. Then they could hit Fredricks before morning.

* * *

It took Fallon a moment to pick up his phone when it rang midnight. "Sir, the satellite has picked up activity on the road you had us surveying."

Fallon sniffed back the overnight drainage from his sinuses. "What kind of activity?"

"Movement of both men and vehicles, Sir, and the vehicles appear to be armed."

Fallon cursed silently. Damn! Beckett and that exasperating writer husband of hers had been right. Getting people in there with any speed would be close to impossible now, but he'd have to try. If there was a successful attack on Fredricks, the shit storm would fall on him. Even if the press found some celebrity wardrobe malfunction to obsess about instead, Castle would get the story out there. How the man had won Pulitzers, Fallon couldn't fathom, but he had, and people read what he wrote. Men and vehicles could be sent in, but his best bet would be helicopters. He hoped that there were enough of them ready that he could appropriate from local forces, and scramble in time.

* * *

With a small but powerful flashlight, Latisha Moore was taking a walk in the woods. Most city girls would be scared to pick their way through trees in the middle of the night, but she wasn't. She found peace in the sheltering shadow of the trees. Compared to the streets of the South Bronx, the woods were a haven of safety. And the creatures scuttling in the darkness weren't even close to as frightening as the bold and hungry rats she'd grown up with. She could feel a vibration under her feet, and the sound soon reached her ears. Trucks, or at least heavily loaded cars were coming down the road. What the hell were they doing there? She flicked off her flash, her eyes adjusting to the dim glow of the moon and stars. The approaching rumble grew louder. She could barely make out what was coming, but she knew it was trouble. As quickly as she could make her way, she ran toward Booker Fredricks' main house.

Booker was used to rousing at night. It was when fear plunged its knife most deeply, and his people, especially the newer ones, were restless and often strode the halls. He could hear Letisha calling as she banged on his bedroom door. Letisha was not easily rattled. She'd fought through every barrier to make it through high school and graduate near the top of her class. He knew that when he sent her to Cornell in the fall, she would excel there too. If she thought there was a problem worth waking him for, he had no doubt there was.

Peris' forces formed a perimeter outside the fence surrounding the estate. There was no guard at the gate. It would be easy to force it and storm the house. His recon had detected no defenses. The fool Booker was probably depending on his isolation in the woods to protect him. Peris smirked. It would do anything but. At his order, the armored vehicles bearing the guns would move up the drive, followed by his troops. The occupants of the house would be dispatched to the hell where they belonged, except for Booker Fredricks. Anne had a special plan for him. She wanted to see him hung, like the Judas he was. And she wanted to watch.

The metal of the gate bent and screeched, before giving way to the mass of heavy steel that rammed it. Rugged wheels ferried lethal gunnery up the drive, but spikes rose beneath them, slashing through rubber. Light exploded from the nearby trees. The drivers were blinded and stunned as their vehicles smashed into each other. Peris viewed the assault with shock. He hadn't prepared for this, but using his com, he ordered his squad leaders to have their men advance on foot, ready to shoot anything they saw.

As the crush of men rushed the house, steel plating descended over the doors and the windows. Stymied, they circled the mansion, seeking some sort of entry.

Searchlights shown down on them as helicopter blades whupped overhead. "This is Homeland Security, throw down your weapons," blared from above. A few of the men attempted to shoot their rifles at the copters, but dropped to the ground as a deluge of bullets rained down on them. Helicopters began to land on the road and disgorge attack squads with armor, shields, and automatic weapons. Peris dropped to his knees and raised his hands.

Booker Fredricks watched the abbreviated battle on a screen in the bunker under the mansion, where he and all the occupants of the house had retreated. When he was sure the attack had been quashed, he raised the barrier from the front door. Flanked by his men, Fallon made his way inside. Fredricks emerged from hiding and faced him. "Mr. Fredricks, is everyone all right?" Fallon asked.

"We're all fine. Some of the people here have had much more than those cowards to be afraid of, almost every day of their lives," Fredricks replied. "They know they're under my protection, and I don't need guns to do it. I also had a call from Senator Beckett, days ago, warning that there could be trouble coming. So what the hell took you assholes so long?"


	85. Chapter 85

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 85

Anne watched the first orange tinted rays of the sunrise wash over her gallows. She had constructed them herself, piece by piece, to await the scourge of evil that threatened her country and her world. She had already waited too long, but she shouldn't have to wait much longer. The holy battle should have been fought hours before, and Peris should be bringing her the fruits of God's sword.

Fallon shoved Peris into a hard metal chair. "That's assault and I want a lawyer," the colonel protested.

"Well you don't get one," Fallon informed him. "You and your men were engaged in an act of terrorism. Under the Patriot Act you get nothing. But we both know you're not behind this. You didn't have access to the resources. Those came from the Hold the Line Trust, which means Anne Baldwin. You tell us where she is and you might even see the light of day sometime. You don't, and where you'll go, the cells at Gitmo will seem like a picnic. Peris, you were a soldier once. Do one thing that is worthy of your rank, worthy of breathing the air in this country. Give her to us."

Peris stared at Fallon's dark eyes, hardened by anger and loss. His accuser was not going to give an inch. There was no hope now but surrender.

The morning news feed transmitted a carefully edited account of the action of Homeland Security at the estate of Booker Fredricks. Few details were given except that the operation had been a complete success, with no casualties, and that a number of terrorists were in custody and were being questioned. Anne read it in disbelief and despair. She had put on the armor of God, as had Peris and his men. Surely it was the voice of the devil accusing them of terrorism. But Satan had not yet won. He had her soldiers, but he would never have her.

Fallon's men followed the route Peris had provided. Anne's refuge was well hidden, its rough construction blending into the forest. The road through the wood was gravel topped and dead ended into a narrow footpath, necessitating them to proceed single file. They moved slowly, stopping several times for tripwires. The path ended in the cleared area around the house. They circled carefully, then stopped abruptly. Anne Baldwin was there, hanging from her own gallows.

* * *

Kate read the terse text from Fallon and handed her phone to Castle to see. He swiped a hand over his face. "Just when I thought I'd seen every incarnation of human self-destruction, something else rears its horrendous head."

Kate laid a hand on his arm. "Are you going to use this in Holy Snake Oil?"

"It doesn't fit with what I have laid out so far. The paths I've been constructing for my families have led more to an unholy grasp of a dollar than a gun or a rope, but I might integrate some factors. Right now it threatens to displace my lunch just to think about it. So for a more uplifting view of the heavens, are you and Muriel taking the Yo-Yo up today?"

The solemn mask of Kate's face softened. "We are. I'm glad you had it moved to a hangar near Sullenberger. That's going to make it much easier than trekking to New Jersey. Muriel's going to have me practice in the Yo-Yo for the rest of my qualifying hours, since that's what I'll be using to solo in."

"It's your plane now," Castle said. "Don't you think you ought to name her?"

Kate's eyes swept the ceiling in thought. "I never thought about it. I never even named my motorcycle. But you have a point. It doesn't sound right to call it the Yo-Yo and I can't just use the tail number. I think I'll call her Johanna. She's the strongest airplane, and my mother was the strongest woman I ever knew."

Castle gathered her in his arms. "That does sound right."

* * *

With her brothers at a play date with Nicholas Ryan and Manuel Esposito, Lily sat in the audience of Steinway Hall with her parents. Elliott Friedman's students would be performing a recital. Lily had met a couple of them when they guested with The Young People's Orchestra. They had been beyond good, and their performances had been met with standing ovations and applause that echoed off the walls. Lily had studied them carefully, from the angle of their hands, to the touch of their feet on the pedals of a grand piano. Their approach was different from her own at her keyboards or on her spinet, and intriguing.

Friedman introduced each student, from the youngest, a year older than Lily, to the oldest, at eighteen. The pieces grew more advanced, leading to Ravel's _Gaspard de la Nuit_ , a piece Lily could barely dream of mastering. The acclaim the students received was well deserved and Lily pounded her own small hands together until they were red.

"What did you think?" Castle asked his daughter as he and Kate walked her to the subway.

"They were wonderful," Lily declared.

"What would you think of having Mr. Friedman as a teacher?" Castle inquired.

"Do you think he'd take me?" Lily asked. "There wasn't anyone my age at the recital."

"If you want to work with him, we can certainly see," Castle told her.

Lily's feet bounced against the concrete sidewalk. "I do Daddy. I can even write something for him."

Castle drew her against his side. "You do that."

* * *

Lagi had happily excused Lily from summer school to audition for Elliott Friedman. With Kate stuck in an emergency meeting with constituents, Castle took his daughter to meet and audition for her potential mentor. Friedman was welcoming, but definitely not a hugger. His studio featured two Steinway pianos. He invited Lily to seat herself at one and choose a piece to play. His bushy eyebrows rose when she announced that she had composed a piece for him, but he bid her to perform it. Castle searched Friedman's face for clues as Lily played, seeing only intense concentration. Then Friedman gave Lily pieces by Mozart and Tchaikovsky to play as well.

After Lily had finished her performance, Friedman invited her and Castle into his office. Music was everywhere, from his desk, to the walls, to fireproof filing cabinets. He offered Castle coffee and Lily a bottle of water. "Miss Castle," he told Lily, "You are an excellent pianist, one of the better ones I've heard in your age range, and I've heard many. But I believe your true gift lies in composition. That is where I believe you can exceed any competition. So I would be pleased to take you on as a student, under certain conditions. I believe there is much we can do to improve your technique at the keyboard. I can also aid you in the theory of composition. But creativity flows from the soul. It is much rarer than technical proficiency, and young lady, it flows from yours. If I prepare you to compete for a position in the pre-College program at Juilliard, I would want to do so with a major in composing as your goal. If that's not what you wish to pursue, I would suggest another teacher. I could certainly provide your father with a list of recommendations."

Lily looked questioningly at her father. Castle took her hand. "You have to follow your heart, Lily. What does it tell you?"

Lily sat up resolutely in her chair. "I want to be a composer."

Elliott extended his own hand to her. "Then will will work out a lesson schedule."

A/N Note for those of you who are concerned with Lily learning her other subjects, the pre-college program at Juilliard meets on Saturdays, with just an occasional class during the week to accommodate scheduling problems, or at least that's the case right now. She can round out her education with Lagi, or wherever. Science is hardly out of the question. Einstein never went anywhere without his violin and Richard Feynman both played and composed music. He was very fond of percussion. Music has actually been shown to aid in learning math. How could creativity not run in the Castle family? And yes, Guest, I don't like Fallon much. His back story makes me feel sorry for him too, but his failure to accept other points of view almost killed Rick and Kate and almost doomed the city. If he had listened to Castle, the wires of a dirty bomb wouldn't have had to be pulled at the last minute. He was also a bully to a grieving widow, a situation he should have understood.


	86. Chapter 86

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 86

Castle had a great celebration planned at the house in the Hamptons. Kate had just passed her pilot's exam in Johanna. She had arranged for hanger space at a field near Albany as well as at Sullenberger. She and Topher had also agreed to serve as each other's co-pilots when they could, greatly upping the percentages for a safe flight. Castle's stomach still did its share of flips at the idea of his wife spending so much time in a flying tin can, but everything that could be done to assure her safety, had been done. Kate's becoming a pilot also meant that he and the kids would get to see as much of her as possible.

It was Labor Day weekend and would be the last chance for the kids, especially Jake and Reese to cut loose before Lagi imposed the stricter requirements of the curriculum of the regular school year. Jake had begged for an outing on a boat. To peak his interest in reading, Lagi had started him on a book about New York pirates. Jake was fascinated and wanted to sail the sea where they had once plied their trade.

Castle had carefully checked Radar Savvy's extended forecast against any possibility of storms, and had agreed. He'd chartered a tall ship, which further fired his swashbuckling son's imagination. Just in case, he'd stocked up on ginger, which his research told him was as effective as Dramamine, without some of the side effects. He'd also cooked with it as much as he could manage. The house smelled more like Christmas than the usual beany cookout scent of Labor Day, but that was fine with him and Kate. The kids didn't seem to mind either.

Jake had wanted to wear his pirate costume for the voyage. For safety reasons, Castle had nixed the eye patch and the phony peg leg, but was sanguine with the mechanical parrot that sat on Jake's shoulder, giving out with the occasional "Argh," or squawking a bowdlerized sea shanty.

The family boarded the ship early on Sunday morning. Jake took pictures of everything the crew did as they set sail, while Reese sketched on his tablet. The weather was hot, even more so than the sticky previous summer had been, but the breeze off the water was refreshing. The water was a little choppy, but not enough to cause any digestive distress. With Kate beside her, Lily gazed off the side of the boat, humming wave themes to herself, that she would transform later into a full blown movement for a sonata. She pointed into the distance at something bobbing on the rise and fall of the ocean surface. "What's that, Mama?"

"Oh please," Kate prayed silently, "not a body. We don't need that this weekend." Jake strode up and offered his pirate telescope to check it out. Kate peered through the genuine optics Castle had insisted on. Whatever was out there, was roughly the shape of a body, but had none of the bloating she would associate with one. The current swept it toward the ship and the crew used nets and hooks to bring it aboard.

The figure was roughly that of a woman, one that had once been beautiful. There were vestiges of paint still adhering to the sea-battered wood. Jake jumped up and down on the deck. "It's a figurehead! From the front of a ship. Remember we saw a bunch of them at the Seaport Museum? Maybe it came off a pirate ship! That would be so cool!"

Castle very much doubted the figure could have the origin that so excited the boy. He imagined that wood that old would have long rotted away, but older treasures than that had been discovered. "We'll see if we can find out," he assured his son.

Exhausted by sun, sea, and adventure, all three kids fell asleep earlier than usual. It was way too warm to consider cuddling by a fire, but lounging on the couch, Kate and Rick sipped cool glasses of a light and fizzy Moscato, while Castle scrolled through images of figureheads on a his large tablet. He pointed at the screen. "This could be it. It's the right shape, and what little color is left on the figurehead we found, matches."

Can you bring up the web page?" Kate asked.

Castle swiped as he answered, "Sure. Her name is Lucia. She was on a ship built in the twentieth century. That makes sense. She could survive that long. Hmm, the ship was named the Trebek."

"Like the old game show host?" Kate asked.

Castle shrugged. "Let's find out." He entered "Trebek" and "ship" into his search engine. "Exactly like the old game show host," he announced, grinning. "The ship was owned by a Ben Jensen, a big money winner on _Jeopardy_ when Trebek was still hosting. He went on to use the money as seed to build a consulting empire. So when he bought himself a boat, a yacht really, he named it Trebek. He never married, or as far as anyone has documented, had a serious significant other, but Lucia was his grandmother. She was in the audience every day he played and he considered her his good luck charm. I guess she wasn't such good luck. The ship was lost at sea during a nor'easter, and Jensen was assumed lost with it."

"When was that?" Kate asked.

"March of 2002, six months after 9/11. Most of the news then still concentrated on terrorism, so the loss of a boat in a storm didn't make much of a splash. His consulting business, "And the Answer Is," is still around. Apparently he mentored another game show champ, Seamus Deeves, as his successor, and he is still running it. He launched a search for Jensen and the Trebek, but they were never found, but once Jensen was assumed to be dead, he gave up. No one ever searched for the wreck. It could still be down there. Maybe Lucia was a sign."

"Castle, you're not thinking about searching for it now, are you? Why? Jensen wasn't a pirate. It's not like you would be hunting for treasure."

"I'd be hunting for what we've always hunted for, Kate, answers. Besides, the whole thing would thrill the boys; Jake for the adventure and Reese for the story. Reese might even want to make some sort of a superhero out of a diver," Castle argued.

"And how are you going to pull it off? Don't you have a book due?" Kate wondered.

"It's not like I'd do it myself," Castle explained. "I'd hire someone with expertise looking for wrecks, and a boat with radar, sonar, or whatever else it needs. Then if they find something promising, the boys and I would have an afternoon out for the denouement. I could even build a novella around it, maybe for young readers. It would be a nice change of pace."

Kate rolled her eyes, unable to resist the upturn of her lips. "I'm not going to be able to talk you out of this, am I?"

"When has either of us ever been able to talk the other out of pursuing a mystery?" Castle asked.

Kate lightly kissed his lips. "Babe, you have a point."

A/N Guest, I too, went to one of those math and science special high schools, in New York City. We had many musicians, including some famous ones, as well. For those of you who didn't see it, Seamus Dever was on a game show called _The Chase_. He beat The Beast and won.


	87. Chapter 87

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 87

"What did you hear about the quest for the Trebek?" Kate asked as she and Castle shared mid-morning coffee.

"They think they may have found a boat with the same general dimensions, in the area where the Trebek was supposed to have gone down. But nor'easters have been scuttling ships there for centuries. They won't know more until they send divers down. That's planned for this afternoon."

Kate studied what she could see of his face over his mug. "I'm surprised you're not more excited."

"A yacht that went down in a storm doesn't make much of a story unless there's some human drama attached, and right now I can't find any," Castle confided. "I'm just working on the second book of my Holy Snake Oil saga, and doing the revisions for the first one. There are a couple of characters my editor wants me to expand."

Kate's eyes gazed knowingly over the rim of her own cup. "And you're disappointed that you don't have an excuse to procrastinate."

"Pretty much," Castle confessed. "And I may not be able to get any news this afternoon anyway. I'm taking Lily to her lesson with Elliott Friedman after school and I'll be taking the twins to the playground while she's busy. They just refurbed the merry-go-round and I have a feeling my hands will be occupied keeping it spinning at 'Faster, Daddy, faster,' speed."

"I can take them," Kate offered. "The meeting I had scheduled this afternoon was canceled. My arms can use the workout."

Castle leaned in for a quick, slightly vanilla foamed kiss. "Thanks. If nothing else, maybe I can make Curtis and Strom happy."

* * *

It had been a long time since Kate had pushed a merry-go-round, and the twins were merciless in their demands. Her arms were hardly short, but she envied Castle the leverage of his extra length. Still, she was able to keep the apparatus spinning at top speed until Jake and Reese were ready to wobble off. They took a very short moment to get their bearings, before heading for the slide, where all Kate would have to do was watch at the bottom and convince them that descending head first was not on the agenda. She checked her watch. Lily's lesson was scheduled to last an hour, something about which, in order not to deprive another student of time, Elliott was quite strict. The walk back was only ten minutes and she still had at least a half hour. She thought she'd try to head back a little early. She wanted to hear what Lily sounded like on one of the exquisite instruments in Elliott's studio.

Even with the chattering of the boys as she approached, Kate could discern the notes of the piece Lily had been working on. Not only was the sound more resonant than on the spinet at home, some of what Lily called dynamics seemed to have changed, with the music sweeping up and down like waves breaking on a beach. Kate had no doubt that Lily was growing under Elliott's guidance. Lily's concentration was unbroken when Kate entered, her passion for her art holding her in its hypnotic grip. Kate wondered if she had ever been that intensely immersed in something, other than perhaps lovemaking, either as a child or an adult. She couldn't really remember anything that fit the bill. Her eyes swept over her daughter. No doubt Lily looked like her. Her hair was the color Kate's had been at that age. Her face was the same shape. The body type was the same too. Unless Lily had a surprise bloom like Lanie had, she would be long and slim as Kate was. But in some ways she was more like Castle. His creative spark had been fanned to flame when he was just a bit older than Lily, and it had never been been quenched. She hoped the same would hold true for her daughter. Lily played the final chords, and after a beat, returned to the world. She looked first to Elliott for his guidance, then waved as she realized her family had arrived.

Jake insisted that it was time to go to Frozen Whatever, where Daddy always took them after Lily's lesson. After final notes from Elliott on what to practice, Lily was enthusiastic about that suggestion as well. Kate consulted her phone for directions. Lily had no doubt that she wanted a shake with a swirl of fresh strawberries, but the boys carefully considered each flavor of ice, not for the taste, but for the color of coating they preferred to end up with on their tongues. Jake decided on a pink he insisted would be acquired by eating brains, while Reese stuck with the blue of his favorite villain, Ice Storm.

When Kate finally returned with the children to the Castle castle, she found Rick anxiously awaiting her arrival. She started to ask what was going on, but Castle shifted his eyes pointedly at the kids, and shook his head. When Lily and the twins had been dispatched to their rooms to do their homework, Kate pressed Castle for an explanation.

"Kate, the divers found something. The ship is the Trebek, but it didn't go down in a storm. There were bullet holes in the bulkhead, and a hole from something much bigger than a bullet in the hull, too. That ship was sunk, Kate, deliberately."

"Were there any bodies?" Kate asked.

"There were remains," Castle said. "They were all in a cabin, and it appeared to have been locked. There wasn't much left. The divers said it looked like the denizens of the deep enjoyed a good meal. But the divers thought it looked like the bones of two people. There should have been three, the captain, the first mate, and Jensen himself. After the bones are brought up, a forensic pathologist may be able to figure out who was down there, but someone is missing. It looks like I was wrong. There may be quite a story there and we don't know how - or if - it ended."

* * *

Brows descending, Tobert Minchkin put down his phone. "Who would have thought that after over twenty-five years, anyone would have gone looking for the Trebek? And who would have imagined they'd actually find it? So far there were only a couple of postings on social media from people who had been hanging around the marina at the Hamptons, but there was already a buzz of foul play in the sinking of the ship. If they found out a body was missing, it might not stop there. It was possible the sea had removed any evidence of identities, but he couldn't count on that. These days a single tooth could be more than enough. For now he could just monitor the situation, but he'd need a plan if the problem escalated.

Jensen might have to be moved. It was possible his whole operation would have to be moved. The first thing would be to find out who had been funding the search for the Trebek, and why. Deeves had given up years before and had no reason to begin again. Tobert doubted it was him. There had been a mention of a writer. There were a lot of those in the Hamptons, and more in surrounding New York. And it didn't even have to be someone local. He would start by having the records of the company who owned the recovery vessel hacked. Once he had a name, he could go from there.

A/N Guests, if you don't want to formally register on this site and you want your questions answered, my handle on Twitter is also CheerfulChemist. Ask!


	88. Chapter 88

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 88

Doctor Aviva Baruch surveyed the remains on her stainless steel work tables. Unlike identifying body parts from mass graves, or from 9/11, this job was minimally angst ridden and relatively straight forward. There were only three people on that boat and she had no doubt that she had two of them. Digging up the medical and dental records would be a chore, if she actually needed them. They had been archived long ago on a system no longer in use. They could still be read, but legacy equipment would be required. She just couldn't search online. But she didn't think any of that would be necessary. The families had provided both descriptions and photos. The 3-D reconstructions were running on her computer cluster, but once they were finished, she should have positive confirmation that the men were Captain Aaron Kalember and First Mate Peter George. She had searched for any signs of the third assumed occupant of the boat, Ben Jensen, but all of the remains were consistent with either Kalember or George. It was possible that Jensen, or what was left of him, was still on the seabed, or even alive somewhere, but that part of the mystery was out of her hands.

* * *

Castle stared at the words prominently displayed on the screen in his office. "Where is Ben Jensen?" Soundings in the area surrounding the sunken yacht had turned up nothing. The most obvious conclusion was that Ben Jensen had been taken and the yacht sent to the ocean bottom, to hide the kidnapping. But why? He and Seamus Deeves would be meeting at the prestigious Circle Club that afternoon to talk about what the search team and pathologist had turned up.

On sight, Castle found Seamus Deeves strangely reminiscent of Kevin Ryan. They were about the same age and build, and both had eyes of Irish blue. When Deeves opened his mouth, the resemblance immediately ended. His accent was from the patrician end of Boston, no surprise since he had attended Harvard. His speech was precise, with none of the fanciful phrases Castle would expect from Kevin. "Mr. Castle," I was extraordinarily surprised to hear that you had located the Trebek, and even more so that you believe my former partner wasn't on it. I liked Ben, but he has been gone decades and not only assumed, but declared, dead. How do you propose that I can assist you now?"

"Mr. Deeves," Castle replied, "let me get directly to the point. Declared dead or not, there is a chance that Ben Jensen may be alive. The Trebek was deliberately sunk. As far as can be determined from the forensics, a plastic explosive charge was affixed to the hull and set off by a timer. Traces of the explosive and fragments of the timer have both been found. The captain and first mate were locked in a cabin and left to die when the bomb was blown. But there is no sign of Ben Jensen. It is very possible that he was taken, with the aid of guns, by party or parties unknown, and was nowhere near the Trebek when it exploded. If he remains alive, the first step to finding him would be to figure out why he was taken in the first place."

Deeves frowned, cupping a brandy snifter in the warmth of his hands. ""Mr. Castle..."

"Rick," Castle corrected.

"Rick then," Deeves conceded. "You may call me Seamus. I fail to understand your interest in all of this. What could you possibly have to gain from tracking down Ben Jensen, if indeed there remains a Ben Jensen to track down?"

"Seamus," Castle explained, "I have spent a great part of my life both writing and solving mysteries. This one fell into my lap. It also fascinated my children, who were on the fateful outing when it did. Not only might it make an interesting story, which is every writer's bread and butter, but I can't leave a mystery uninvestigated, anymore than a scorpion could keep from stinging a frog. It is my nature. I will proceed with or without your help, but I would prefer to proceed with it. Don't you want to know what happened to Jensen? Seamus does mean detective. No thirst for answers?"

"You are speaking of slang. Seamus is Gaelic for James, and if I seek answers it is more likely to be in the same realm the apostle did. However, in that sense, every man should have the chance to make peace with God. Ben may not have had that opportunity. I would pray that he could. So how can I aid you in your quest, Rick?"

"In any story, we have a who, what, when, where, and why," Castle explained. "We have a pretty good handle on the what, when, and where, and at least part of the who. What we really need is the why. Was Ben working on anything when the Trebek went down that a hostile party might have had an interest in?"

Seamus sighed. "The work we did, the work I still do, is confidential. Some of our non-disclosure agreements have end dates, many do not. I will have to check my files and see if there is anything I am free to reveal. One way or the other, I'll be in touch, Rick. On that you have my word."

* * *

Kate walked into Castle's office with two cups of coffee in her hands. She extended one to him as he stood studying his screen. "You're watching an old _Jeopardy_ on YouTube?"

Castle took a sip of the hot brew and nodded. "I'm going through clips of the shows Ben Jensen was on. They were posted because he was kind of famous at the time. They're like manna to trivia buffs everywhere."

"Does that include you?" Kate asked.

"Of course," Castle admitted. "As you're well aware, my brain always abounds with fun facts."

"Not always fun," Kate commented.

"Be that as it may," Castle continued unruffled, "but my arcane knowledge has been instrumental in solving many a case. I just wanted to see where Jensen's areas of true expertise lay. If someone was after him, those might constitute a clue to motive."

"And what have you found so far?" Kate wondered.

"The man sucked at pop culture. I'm not sure how he won as much as he did. Mostly he shut up when he didn't know the question, and avoided penalties."

Kate's lips quirked in a mischievous smile. "Sounds pretty smart to me."

"Anyway," Castle went on, "he excelled at technology questions. He did very well with math, physics, and computer science. He knew that solutions to Rubik's Cube came from group theory, and he was very conversant with history too. "

"And what does all that add up to?" Kate asked.

Castle shook his head. "Damned if I know, but if Seamus Deeves can give me a handle on what Jensen was working on, something might pop in my brain."

"How about popping something from a bottle?" Kate suggested. "I really like that new Merlot you discovered. The kids are down for the night. We could have a glass..."

"And a dance," Castle grinned.

Kate grinned back. "And then who knows? I have some ideas about group theory myself, especially if the group consists of two."

"In chemistry, a group is two or more atoms bound closely together," Castle offered.

Putting her coffee on the desk, Kate circled his waist with her arms. "Bound closely together sounds good to me."


	89. Chapter 89

Life Goes On

Chapter 89

Leighton Minchkin stared over Ben Jensen's shoulder at the screen. "Are you sure?"

"You know I can't be a hundred percent certain," Jensen replied. "The are always variables over which there is no control."

"Just give me your prediction," Minchkin insisted.

Jensen brought up an image of a wristband and a small device. "This is a ghrelin detection and compensation system. Ghrelin is the hormone the body releases when it is hungry. I've studied the figures on dieting success. In the long run, dieting is often the best way to put on weight. The body rebels, trying to get the weight back. It sends out hunger signals that are irresistible even to the most determined individuals. A large percentage end up heavier than when they started out. There was a device sensing ghrelin and a hormone dispensing counter device tested before. When the ghrelin was released, it pumped in leptin, which was supposed to convince the body it was satiated. It didn't work."

"Why?" Minchkin asked.

"There was a missing piece: the lift, the joy, people get from eating," Jensen explained. "I believe this device may have found that missing piece. When it detects the ghrelin, it not only pumps out leptin, it pumps out oxytocin, the love hormone. The idea is that dieters are satiated not only physically but emotionally. The short term trial data has been good, and for your purposes, the long term data is even better. In order for the system to keep working, the dieter has to keep wearing it. That means replacement wristbands and prescriptions for continuing refills for the pump. It's like the old ulcer drugs that just masked the effects instead of treating the problem. They almost crashed and burned when it was discovered that three weeks of antibiotics could take care of the ulcer much of the time. But then the pharmaceutical companies brought the drugs back to treat chronic heartburn. That was a license to print money. Same with this. A cure is a dead end for profits. You want a chronic problem you can treat forever."

"But what happens when the patent runs out?" Minchkin pressed.

"Same thing that usually does. They modify the pump or change the hormone mix and file an improvement patent. You just put your money in and keep it there."

"When's the IPO due out?" Minchkin inquired. "Investors love weight loss products. They'll be anxious to jump on something like this."

Jensen shook his head. "They're not doing an initial public offering, at least not yet. After the failure of the first ghrelin device, they can't get underwriting. It's going to be a private placement memorandum. The minute the prospectus is out, you can get on board."

"For Melinda's sake, this better not be another sapphire phone screen," Minchkin warned.

Jensen swallowed. "There is a much larger potential market," Jensen assured him, "and it will require a much smaller investment."

* * *

Castle was surprised that the call from Seamus Deeves came as fast as it did. Lily and the twins had barely departed on the van to Latu's Trails, when his cell phone buzzed. "Rick, I've been examining our non-disclosure agreements and there is very little I can tell you about Ben's work at the time the Trebek went down, except that it involved predicting the success of emerging technologies. But I did remember something else that might be helpful. Ben kept his private life private, but he did take regular trips to Ohio. He never revealed why, but he provided contact information when deadlines were tight. He stayed at a hotel in Cuyahoga Falls. If he had a relationship I didn't know about, that's probably where it is."

"Cuyahoga Falls," Castle muttered to himself as he refilled his coffee mug.

"Where?" Kate asked.

"It's a little city near Akron Ohio," Castle explained. "I know that because the actress who played the doctor on Star Trek the Next Generation is from there."

Kate suppressed an eye roll. "Of course you do. But what does the place have to do with Ben Jensen?"

"That's what I need to find out," Castle answered. "I'm going over to RCI to see Alexis. It's been a few days since I talked to her anyway and if there's anyone who can dig up a connection, she can."

"And this is a morning she has Bernard with her at work," Kate added.

"That too," Castle admitted. "I can't shirk in my grandfatherly duty of bouncing my grandson on my knee."

"Well just be careful," Kate advised. "Last time you did the Grandpa Rick as horsey thing with him, you had to ice that knee."

Castle sighed. "True enough, but it gave me an excuse to binge watch _Zombies Attack the White House,_ so not all bad."

* * *

Bernard had no need to saddle up Castle. Instead he rode a robotic pony around the RCI office. The sensors on the pony automatically avoided obstacles, so Alexis didn't have to worry about crashes while she and her father talked. "That is so cool!" Castle exclaimed as he watched his grandson. "Where did he get it?"

"Sergei attended a forensics conference in Silicon Valley and there was an innovation show going on in the same hotel. Silver there, was part of a limited series that was being sold out of the booths. Sergei couldn't resist it."

Castle nodded his understanding. "Of course he couldn't. I don't suppose they come in an adult size."

"Not that I've heard Dad, but didn't you have enough trouble with a mechanical bull once?"

Castle winced at a painful memory of an early effort trying to impress Kate. "Point taken. So lets stick to a non-equestrian method of following the trail of Ben Jensen in Cuyahoga Falls. Are you finding anything?"

"I am. As far as I can tell, Jensen never actually lived in Cuyahoga Falls, but he bought a little house there. It was occupied by a Melinda Adkins. He signed the ownership of it over to her for a dollar."

"Is there any record of a relationship between them?" Castle asked.

"None that I can find so far," Alexis reported, "but that part of Ohio is full of people named Adkins. It's going to take a while to do a full check. I'll go deeper into Melinda too. I can call you when I get something, Dad."

"Which is your not so subtle way of shooing me out so you can get some work done," Castle realized. He waved at Bernard. "So long, partner."

Castle's eyes scanned the dashboard of his car as he belted in for the drive back to Fieldston. There were almost too many features for even his geeky soul. It wasn't just robotic ponies, technology was moving at a dizzying pace, even for his love affair with nifty gadgets. He could even buy a car that would drive itself if he wanted to, but somehow the solidity of a wheel beneath his hands, especially when the kids were in the car, made him feel more secure. He wondered what else had been at that innovation show. There were so many new products, most of which never caught on. If Jensen had a talent for picking the right ones, he could be of great value to someone. It would be difficult to force insight like that from a man, but if he was given suitable motivation, like the motivation that caused him to give a house away, anything could be possible.

A/N Sorry guys. Ghrelin and oxytocin are real, but the diet device is a figment of my imagination, so far, anyway. With the right sensors and miniaturization, it might work, especially ten years hence. There are also such a things as private placement memoranda. They are considered so risky that the SEC won't allow you to invest unless you meet certain financial criteria. Cuyahoga Falls and its celebrity connection are real as well, but anyone else is fictional. A sapphire screen for cell phones was a real, unsuccessful, product. There are already robotic ponies, but not like the one Bernard was riding. Also, don't wrack your brains about the mechanical bull. That wasn't canon.


	90. Chapter 90

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 90

Melinda Adkins swiped her finger across her phone to check the summary of her bank account. The deposit was there, as it was every month like clockwork. The coded reference from the bank indicated it came from a trust, but that was all the documentation there was. The deposits came from an account in the Caymans, traceable by number only. She silently thanked, as she did every month, the man she'd discovered was her father.

When she was growing up, her paternity had been somewhat of a mystery. Her mother had told her that her father was a sperm donor, one from an elite bank that only accepted potential fathers with an IQ above a certain level and no known inheritable diseases. Beyond that, he was unknown. As the years went by, she was unable to resist the urge to know more. She bought a kit to have her DNA tested and then signed on to the kit maker's service that would enable her unknown relatives to make contact with her. It was a long time before she had a response, but then the message came from someone with a genetic profile declaring him to be her father. She had expected a doctor, a lawyer, or a scientist. She had never fantasized about a game show winner. But she verified it through the service. It was Ben Jensen. It certainly explained her red hair. There was none on her mother's side of the family. Unfortunately, she had not inherited his nearly perfect memory. She had yet to win a free drink in a tavern trivia challenge.

Their first meeting had been awkward. Of the two of them, Melinda had the better social skills, and they were nothing to write home about. But a bond developed immediately, with Ben coming to visit whenever he could. She had never asked for money or the house, or even for Ben to pick up a dinner tab. He just seemed to want to do it. He'd explained that he'd donated to the sperm bank when he'd been dead broke in college and had always been concerned about what might have become of any children. He'd visited for the last time, two weeks before the Trebek went down. After that, Melinda accepted with sadness that he was gone, but the money had begun arriving from the anonymous trust. She assumed he'd set it up to be triggered by his death, but he'd never said a word about it to her. The funds had gotten her through some rough times, especially during the recession, and she was grateful.

* * *

Castle perused the list of potential investments his business manager had emailed to him. He often looked for new developments in alternative energy, or gadgets high on his geek meter, but now he was looking with an eye to what might interest Ben Jensen. Not much seemed to fit with the combination of technology and history, but there were several his manager had tagged as high potential but high risk. Two of them were pop culture related. Castle dismissed them as falling outside Jensen's area, The third was a diet device. Castle couldn't imagine why that would interest Jensen either, except that it involved both electronics and chemistry, or at least biochemistry. A prospectus had not yet been issued. He marked the upcoming offering as something to watch, but he had a lot more faith in whatever Alexis might discover.

As if on cue, his phone rang. "Dad," Alexis reported. "I may have something. I checked out Melinda Adkins' records. Her father is listed as unknown, a sperm donor. There was a note made about it because the biological father was excluded from both all rights of parenthood and any responsibilities for supporting the child. Fast forward a few decades. Melinda enrolls in a service that searches for relatives via DNA. Jensen was enrolled with the same service. Less than a year after Melinda joined up, Jensen bought the house he gave to her."

"So you think Jensen is Melinda's biological father?" Castle asked.

"I do," Alexis confirmed, "but there's more. After the Trebek went down, Melinda filed several reports about seeing men watching her. She was never threatened in any way, so the cops didn't do anything, but she's kept filing them on and off over the years and she just filed one again two days ago. What if whoever took Jensen is using threats against Melinda to make Jensen work for him?"

"It makes sense," Castle concluded. ""If your theory is right, whoever is watching Melinda could lead us to whomever has Jensen. Do you have anyone who's free to go to Ohio?"

"Kevin, Javi, and Roselyn are all tied up right now, but I might be able to get Big Jake and Big Reese. I'll let you know."

"Good," Castle agreed. "But do it fast. There's already been some buzz about Jensen being alive. Whoever sent those men might decide to escalate. If Jake and Reese can go, we'll want them out there as quickly as possible."

"Kate could take them." Alexis suggested.

The idea of his wife flying by herself still made Castle nervous, but he comforted himself with the thought that she might be able to snag Topher as a co-pilot. Castle was a major donor to Lindy's latest arts for children with disabilities project and the couples had become good friends.

* * *

Jake Pullman surveyed the passenger area in Johanna. It certainly beat flying commercial. Both he and Reese would have plenty of room for their legs. Flying from Sullenberger completely avoided the nightmare of Kennedy or LaGuardia and there were no worries about trying to get their weapons and equipment through TSA. The flight to Akron Fulton Airport would be only about an hour and Alexis had arranged for a car to be waiting for them. He and Reese had a short term rental on a furnished apartment not far from Melinda's home, and they should be able to set up surveillance with a minimum of difficulty. They would just have to work hard at not spooking Melinda anymore than she already was.

The weather was good as far as the Ohio border, where it began to rain. From the abundance of green on the ground, it was apparent that it did that a lot. Still, the flight was pretty smooth and Kate's well schooled landing was perfect. Getting only mildly soaked, the two men loaded their luggage into the car that had been provided, and easily found their way to Cuyahoga Falls. Kate and Topher had taken off for the return flight to New York almost immediately.

The residential area where Melinda lived was quiet, composed mostly of small houses like her own. The apartment Jake and Reese occupied was the upper floor of an old two family home. It featured an upstairs covered porch which would make a handy vantage point. Jake took the first shift, scanning the neighborhood. He and Reese had coms for instant communication. Things looked quiet, but he wouldn't have expected any obvious activity. In early September, the days were still fairly long. He settled in to keep watch. The clouds cleared as the sun descended below the horizon. There were a surprising number of stars. Jake was thinking it was a lovely night when he slapped at a mosquito. He should have known, where there was this much rain... He slapped at another one. He was already starting to itch. He hoped Reese would be willing to make a run for insect repellent - and anti-itch cream.


	91. Chapter 91

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 91

"That same car has passed in front of Melinda Adkins' place for the third time," Reese reported.

"Did you get a plate?" Jake asked.

"Mud splattered, but I got a partial," Reese responded, "QXR, Ohio. It's a Nissan Rogue, green."

"Okay," Jake acknowledged, "I'll see if Alexis can trace it."

"I'm going to take a walk around the neighborhood, see if I can find out where it's parked," Reese decided. "Maybe I can get a visual on the driver or at least scrape off some mud."

"Good good idea, but it might be better to jog. Make it look like you're exercising," Jake advised.

Reese stretched his large body. "After sitting on my ass on this porch, I can use some."

Reese didn't get much cardio. Two streets over, he found the Rogue parked in a cul-de-sac. Glancing around to make sure he wasn't seen. He got the rest of the plate and took down the addresses of the three houses surrounding the car. He and Jake could come back with their own car and set up surveillance. If they were lucky, they could get a photo of the driver Alexis could use for facial recognition.

* * *

Alexis didn't have to work hard to trace the plate Reese saw. There was an alert out for the car as stolen. But parked on a quiet street in a quiet neighborhood, it was unlikely that police would ever spot it. Alexis considered reporting it, but to do it at that moment, could give Reese and Jake away. She made a note to do it as soon as the men no longer needed to track Melinda's watcher. She reported back to her operatives. Getting more information on their target was now essential. The addresses yielded it. Two of them belonged to families who'd lived there in excess of thirty years, but the third was a rental belonging to Minchco, an investment company. What Nikki Heat would have called an odd sock was that it was the only house the company owned. Almost all the other investments were in companies that had unusually fast rises. That would make sense if the calls were being made by Ben Jensen. If Jake and Reese could get an ID on the driver, she could determine if he had an association with Minchco as well. If so, at least she'd know they weren't chasing a red herring. She considered calling her father to give him an update, but decided to see if Minchco panned out first.

* * *

Castle was thinking about an investment of a different sort. The sound Lily made on Elliott Friedman's grand pianos was so much richer than what emanated from her spinet and her keyboards, he wanted to give it to her at home. If they moved some things around, the Fieldston house had room for a grand piano. With Christmas about three months away, it wasn't a bad time to start planning. He didn't mind the expense. It would be a joyful investment in his daughter. Unfortunately, even after intense research on the internet, he wasn't sure he could make the right choice. In fact he was pretty sure that he couldn't. He needed someone with an ear far superior to his own. He needed Elliott Friedman.

Elliott was delighted at the idea of consulting with Castle on such a momentous purchase. The problem would be in coordinating schedules. His roster of students was full, leaving little time. Castle preferred, if at all possible, to do the shopping while Lily was in school and while Kate was available as well. They found an opening on a Thursday morning, and met at the Steinway showroom in Midtown Manhattan. Elliott was well known there. His students held their recitals in the attached recital hall, and it was also a meeting ground for collaboration with other teachers. To Castle, the range of instruments was both intimidating and confusing, but Elliott played each one in turn. He directed Rick and Kate to an heirloom piano, pointing out the unique tone he felt would complement Lily's music. Seating himself again on the piano bench, he performed one of Lily's compositions for them to judge.

Rick was enthralled. "Maybe Christmas should come early for Lily," he mused. "The boys had their adventure on the ship."

"She's making wonderful progress, but having this instrument to practice on at home would bring her along even faster," Elliott advised.

Castle looked at Kate, who nodded her approval. "Babe, this wouldn't be a present, anymore than school tuition is a present. This is what will help her grow to the person she'll be."

"Then we'll do it now," Castle decided, and pulled out his credit card.

* * *

Jake had been sitting in the car watching the cul-de-sac for hours. Other than a dog playing on a lawn and a woman unloading enticing bags of groceries, there had been nothing to see. Finally, a door opened on the house Alexis had pegged as their target. The man who emerged was neither large nor imposing, at least at first look. On closer inspection, the muscles hidden beneath his jacket were impressive. A bulge indicated he was most likely carrying a weapon as well. Jake waited for the best possible angle on his quarry's face to use the zoom on his camera to snap a closeup. He uploaded the photo to the cloud where Alexis could grab it. The man slid behind the wheel of the Rogue. Jake decided it would be too obvious to follow him and asked Reese to watch out for his approach at Melinda's house.

From the porch, Reese saw the green Rogue drive up the street and slow to a rolling stop in front of Melinda's home. Reese gazed through his binoculars at the driver. With one hand on the wheel, he was snapping photos with his phone. "To be used as a continuing warning to Jensen," he muttered to himself. "Someone is a real bastard."

* * *

After a post purchase celebratory cup of coffee with Kate at the Fieldston house, Castle flipped open his laptop to try to finish his newest chapter. An alert flashed on his screen. There was an email from his business manager, with a prospectus attached. The terse message noted that the offering was available and that a large investment had already been made by Minchco. Castle puzzled at the unfamiliar company name. Could it be involved with Jensen's disappearance?

He was about to call Alexis when she called him. "Dad, it's all beginning to fit together. The guy watching Melinda Adkins, his name is Mitch Ferguson. He works for an investment company called Minchco. They also own the house where he's staying. He's on record as being their security officer, but there are no offices of Minchco anywhere near Cuyahoga Falls."

"You're right about it all fitting together," Castle agreed. "Minchco just invested big into a risky venture that fits the profile of what Ben Jensen would have recommended. I need you to get everything you can on Minchco, especially any buildings they own where they might be keeping Jensen."

"What about Jake and Reese?" Alexis asked. "Do you want me to keep them in Ohio?"

"Yeah," Castle decided. "Until we figure out where Minchco has Jensen, Melinda might need some protection. Once we do, we'll figure out how to proceed from there."

After laying his phone on his desk, Castle stared at his screen again. The email from his business manager was still displayed. If Ben Jensen thought it was a good idea, it wouldn't hurt to invest a few bucks in the diet device himself. The profits might end up paying for Lily's new piano, maybe even for the investigation. He sent off his own message.


	92. Chapter 92

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 92

Tobert Minchkin didn't like it. He didn't like it at all. There had been another investment in The Love Pump almost immediately after his. It had come from Richard Castle, the writer who had launched the expedition to find the Trebek. He had to have figured things out, and the bastard decided to jump on the gravy train himself. The reinvented pulp writer, who was famous, along with his ex-cop wife, as as crusader for justice, had decided to dip his ink stained fingers into the cookie jar. Of course. No one is that upstanding; everyone has an agenda. But there was another angle to consider. Castle wouldn't want to upset the apple cart if he was tagging along. In a way, it was all good news. No doubt Castle could extol The Love Pump to his fans, and Minchco would make even more money.

Tobert would just have to make sure Ferguson kept those pictures of Melinda coming. As long as he did, there was no chance Jensen would try to get a message out, or even escape. Maybe it would be better if there was something more intimate than pictures of the house, or Melinda at work or shopping for groceries. Tobert needed to emphasize her vulnerability. He'd send Ferguson inside the house to get pictures of Melinda taking a bath or sleeping. Better yet, Melinda just a trigger's pull from death. He cackled as he pictured the scenario, and pulled out his phone.

* * *

Under the cover of darkness, Mitch Ferguson had made the short walk to Melinda Adkins' home. He knew that in her apprehension, she'd had a security monitoring system installed. The sign was prominently displayed in her front yard and there were stickers on all the windows. He'd cased the system before. It wasn't one where he could just cut a land line. Who had land lines anymore anyway? Its signal would go out on wireless. That meant that he'd have to jam it.

Fortunately for him, if not for Melinda, one of Minchco's investments had been in the newest generation of signal jammers. It had been enthusiastically scooped up by paranoids all over the world. Tobert Minchkin had bought a few for the company as well. It would jam any signal in or out of the house. Mitch would just have to wait until he was sure Melinda was asleep and wouldn't be checking her phone or computer. It wouldn't be long. Since he had been observing her, she'd never been a night owl. Once the lights were out, he'd slip through the glass door that led from her small yard into her bedroom and take the picture Minchkin wanted. He might even have some fun doing it.

Jake stared through his night scope. Ferguson was lurking in the shadows near Melinda's home. Something was about to go down. He could feel it. So far Ferguson hadn't made a threatening move, but if the stalker did, he and Reese would have to be ready to move. It was eleven P.M. when Jake began to hear static on his com, and Ferguson was moving toward the rear of Melinda's house. He tried to talk to Reese, but got no response. He shouted for him as he rushed in from the porch. The two men approached Melinda's house on the run. Jake led the way to the yard in the faint glow from the street lamps and lights flanking the door. With the tight beam of his mag lite he could see the latch on the door had been broken. Weapons drawn, the two men rushed in.

Ferguson's gun was drawn as well, with its muzzle aimed at Melinda's forehead as she slept. In his other hand he held a low light camera, as he tried to maneuver to take a picture of the gun. One handed, it was clumsy. In his concentration he failed to hear Jake and Reese come up behind him. As he snapped the photo, Jake took him down with a single blow to the neck.

Explaining the situation to the local police was not the easiest thing. The photo Ferguson had taken helped, as did Melinda's previous reports, but Jake and Reese were still held until their identities could be confirmed, and a police woman was assigned to stay with Melinda. Ferguson said nothing except to request the opportunity to call a lawyer.

* * *

"Fuck!" Minchkin slammed his hand on his desk as he finished a call with Minchco's counsel. Ferguson had been arrested. Not only had he been arrested, he had been caught in Melinda's bedroom by two assholes employed by Richard Castle Investigations. How the hell could he have misjudged the situation so much? He thought the sonofabitch writer was in it for the same reason he was, the money. And now he'd killed Minchco's leverage on Jensen entirely. Melinda was under guard. Of course, he thought, there was no way for Jensen to know that. If Ferguson kept his mouth shut, things could still work out. The newest pictures would do for a while. And he could tighten the controls on Jensen's internet even more. It was unlikely he'd pick up a news report from a tiny city in Ohio - if there even was a news report. But in any case, he could block it. Jensen would get financial news only, and if he resisted, well even the goose that lays the golden eggs has to die eventually. Jensen would never live to say anything about him or Minchco. He's just have to make sure he did a better job of making Jensen's body disappear than he had with the Trebek. That would be one mystery Richard Castle would never solve.

Minchkin considered again what to do about Castle. There had to be payback, but it had to be payback that couldn't be traced to him. He couldn't strike at the man directly. The publicity would be enormous. But Castle's wife, the crusading Senator Beckett, flew a plane, and planes crashed. It would be a terrible tragedy of course. Minchkin snickered. Yes, it would be a terrible tragedy.

* * *

Castle responded to Alexis' "It's urgent," ring tone and put his cell on speaker so Kate could hear. "Dad, I think I've figured out where Minchco has Jensen stashed. They bought up a computer company in Jersey. They actually shipped all the production to Brazil, but one of the buildings is still drawing power, although no one officially works there. I checked Google Earth too. There are cars around. Also, Tobert Minchkin has a mansion about five miles away."

Rick turned to Kate. "Could we get Jersey troopers in there?"

She bit her lip. "No way, Babe. There's still no hard evidence that Minchkin or Minchco has committed a crime. Maybe if Ferguson had talked, but right now it's all conjecture."

"Then we need to get our own people in there," Castle declared. "Jake and Reese were driving in from Ohio, weren't they? Are they back yet? How about Kevin, Javi, and Roselyn?"

"Roselyn's working on a case out west," Alexis explained. "Jake and Reese are back and Javi and Kevin are available. But that's private property. The guys can't just go charging in there."

"That's all right," Castle said. "I have a plan."

.


	93. Chapter 93

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 93

"Are you sure that doohickey is going to work, Castle?" Javier Esposito worried.

Castle snorted. "Well yeah! Electromagnetic interference has been around forever. It's just usually used for jamming. But I ran across this idea when I was researching a Derrick Storm. The CIA was interested in it, but back then there were only prototypes. Now the technology is complete. We just set it to interfere with the current flowing into the building. We don't want cut it off, just make it unreliable enough to screw up anything they have plugged in. They won't even be able to make a decent cup of coffee. It will drive them crazy."

"I'm not even going to ask where you got it, Castle," Kevin Ryan interjected.

"Good," Castle replied, "because if I told you, I'd have to kill you. I'll just put this thing in range of the building long enough for them to realize they have a problem. When you guys show up in your official looking power company uniforms with your official looking ID's, they'll welcome you with open arms."

"Alexis really did do a good job on the ID's" Kevin noted.

"Yes, if my elder daughter ever decides to give up on running RCI, she can always go into counterfeiting," Castle agreed. "Anyone for poker while we wait?"

Esposito pulled out a snack bag from a container beside the built in table where they sat in the RCI van. "Only if we're playing for tortilla chips. Maria wants to buy a house and she's counting every nickel."

"Ah nesting. Sooner or later it hits. Obviously in Maria' case it was later. If you can't swing it, hit Alexis up for a raise. I'll back you up. Damn, should have brought my seven layer dip." Castle glanced at Ryan, recalling the wiry detective's unfortunate reaction to bean burritos. "Or maybe not."

Javi distributed an even number of chips to Ryan, Castle, Big Jake, and Big Reese. "Ante up."

* * *

Ben Jensen winced as the lights flickered again. The surge protector was doing nothing to prevent hiccups in the power to his computer. His electric teapot wasn't working right either. Unless there was some sort of terrorist attack, or at least a hack, the power grid wouldn't behave this way. Something very strange was going on. He smiled to himself. It must be driving Minchkin and his lackeys even crazier than it was driving him.

Kevin Ryan, the most innocent looking of the four RCI operatives, buzzed for entry into the Minchco building. He held up his badge to the camera as a distressed female face filled the video screen. The door released. "OMG! Get in here! Everything is messed up. I think the boss is about to have a heart attack."

"This whole area is being affected," Ryan lied fluently, "but we believe the problem is originating in this building. We're going to have to trace every circuit to find it."

"Just do whatever you have to do," The frantic woman instructed.

The four men quickly split up to search the building while putting on their electrical theater. Esposito found a small room on an upper floor and opened the door. Ben Jensen sat in front his computer. Wary of bugs, Javi held up a message on a tablet. "Mr. Jensen, I'm here to get you out."

Jensen shook his head vigorously while writing furiously on a legal pad. "Leave me alone! They'll hurt my daughter."

Javi shook his own head and brought up another pre-written message. "I'm from Richard Castle Investigations. Our men rescued Melinda. She's fine." He displayed pictures of Melinda with a police woman, and of Mitch Ferguson handcuffed.

As Jensen stared at the images, Javi inclined his head at the door and motioned for Jensen to follow him. As they headed for the stairs, he whispered just loud enough to be picked up by his com. "Guys, I've got him. Let's get out of here."

Javi quickly guided Jensen out of the building and toward the van, rendezvousing with Jake, Reese, and Kevin. Castle called Kate. "We have him. Call your contact at the FBI and let him know that Jensen is ready to testify that Minchkin kidnapped and held him." Reese drove to the nearest police station, where Jensen could safely make a statement.

"Hey Castle," Ryan asked, "did you ever turn off the device that was messing with Minchkin's power?"

Castle grinned. "Now what fun would that be?"

* * *

Castle wrapped his arms around Kate inside the front door of the Castle castle. "You really have to go to Albany? We just finished the daring and impetuous rescue of Ben Jensen. He hasn't even had a chance to throw a party for us yet."

"Castle he can't throw a party or do anything else yet," Kate reminded him. "He's still officially dead. He has to be declared undead first."

"I could lend him my zombie costume," Castle suggested.

Kate lightly punched his arm. "I don't think that will hold much sway with a judge. And even after he gets declared alive, he and Seamus Deeves will have to straighten out control of the company and its assets. It will take a while. And doesn't he want to go see Melinda?"

"He does," Castle conceded. "So no parties from him for a while, but we could have a private one."

"We can do that when I get back," Kate said. "I've only got a few meetings. I might even be back by this afternoon."

"Is Topher going with you?" Castle queried.

"No, he isn't involved in these committees. Hey Babe, I'll be fine. Johanna hasn't given me a second of trouble."

"How about if I drive you to Sullenberger then?" Castle proposed. "We can have a dramatic farewell at the plane. Very film noir."

Kate couldn't help laughing. "Fine. It won't be as cinematic, but you can even watch me go through my checklist, if it will make you feel better."

* * *

On the tarmac, Castle sniffed as he watched Kate make sure her prop area was clear. "Kate, has Topher taken up smoking?"

"God no, Castle. As much as Lindy relies on her other senses, she wouldn't let him near her. Why?"

"Because I can smell cigarette smoke. It's faint, but it's clinging to the plane. It reminds me of one of Alexis' old baby sitters. I never caught her lighting up, but there was always the aura on her clothes and in her hair. I didn't want that around my daughter. I ended up firing her."

"No one should have been smoking around the plane, Castle, or even in the hangar," Kate declared.

"I know. I saw all the signs posted - in five languages. My spidey sense is tingling and not in a good way. Check everything, Kate. Check it three times."

"I'll start with once, Babe. So far everything has looked fine but, wait a minute! Kate climbed back into the plane and Castle followed as quickly as he could up the narrow stairs. Kate regarded her fuel gauge. I topped this off completely last time I landed so it would be ready to go if I needed it. But it's just a hair low."

"Evaporation?" Castle asked.

Kate clamped her jaw. "It's a sealed system. I'm going to get a mechanic over here to check it. Petra Dawes, the one Muriel uses, is on call and only lives about ten minutes from here."

* * *

Petra hated having anyone look over her shoulder, so she insisted on examining the plane without Kate and especially without a hovering Castle. She strode over to the break area in the hanger, where she'd insisted they wait. "Good instincts Kate. There was a pinhole in your fuel line. You only lost a drop or two on the ground, but it would have widened out in flight. It might even have burst, but it absolutely would have leaked. You could have run low, or maybe something worse. If you didn't have a decent place to set down... But everything else looks perfect. I can replace the line and you'll be ready to go. Weird, I've never heard of anything like this happening on a Yo-Yo. And I checked that line before you bought it. It was in good shape."

"I'm sure it was," Kate agreed. "This was sabotage."

"We'll figure out who sabotaged it, and whoever did, is going to need those cigarettes to trade in prison," Castle ground out grimly.

A/N Since this is a fictional plane, I made the whole fuel line thing up. If you are a pilot or an aviation mechanic, forgive me if it's out in left field. Electromagnetic interference is real, but Castle's device is fictional too - I hope."


	94. Chapter 94

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 94

Tobert Minchkin stalked around his mansion, more his prison really. He had managed bail, barely. A freeze, attributed to a connection to possible criminal behavior, had been put on most of his assets. He'd had to surrender his passport, and the obscene device on his ankle kept him from venturing beyond his grounds. Even worse, that asshole Trevor Means had probably screwed up. Tobert still had access to newscasts, and there had been no reports of any plane crashes. But it was possible Kate Beckett hadn't tried to take her plane up yet. He could hold onto that. It was one of the few things he could hold onto.

* * *

Kate was napping, and Castle hated to wake her. Until well into the early morning hours, she'd been going over the transcripts of the meetings she'd missed because of the sabotage to Johanna. She needed the sleep. Still, he knew she'd want to know what he'd just heard from Alexis. He brushed back a lock of hair that had crept in front of her ear. Was that a wisp of gray at her temple? She'd never stopped dazzling him with her ever changing hair colors and styles. He'd suspected there was gray lurking beneath the attractive artifice, but he'd never detected any before. It had been showing at his own temples for some time, not a bad thing for a writer of literary fiction. It lent a certain distinguished air to his book covers. And he was a grandfather. But somehow he'd never pictured silver strands on Kate, as if she was just too bad ass to allow them to appear. Not that she was any less bad ass now, maybe just more secure in her own skin - and hair. It didn't really matter to him. Her skin could wrinkle and her hair turn solid white, but in his eyes she'd still be the most incredible of women. "Hey." he whispered softly.

She stretched her still lithe body and rubbed her eyes. "Hey yourself. Something happening?"

"Uh huh. Kevin and Javi did a complete sweep of your hangar and the area around it. They found a piece of a cigarette butt that hadn't been completely field stripped. Alexis didn't want to wait for the private lab, so Sergei ran it after hours. Alexis just finished checking the markers against all the data bases and she got a hit. It's from a Trevor Means. He's never been convicted of anything, but a sample of his DNA was taken when he applied for some security work. There wasn't much on him. He's supposed to be some sort of freelance consultant."

"He had no authorization to be around that hanger and it was locked," Kate mused. "That's a B and E at least, and gives us an excuse to have the cops pick him up." Castle could see the light growing in Kate's eyes as she pressed thoughtful fingers to her lips. "Maybe I can get Gates to issue an order to let me in on his interrogation. I'd love to sweat him a bit."

"I'm sure you would," Castle grinned. "Good thing I remembered to send her the lost Gemini collectible on her birthday."

* * *

It had been more than a day since Trevor had a cigarette. He was sweating, his head was pounding, and his stomach threatened to erupt. The hard stare of the bitch sitting across the table from him wasn't helping. "What the hell do you want from me?" he demanded. "Since when does breaking and entering get this kind of attention? I already said I'd plead it out. First offense, what's that? Probation?"

"Actually, if you enter a building with intent to commit a crime, that's a class C felony, "Kate informed him. "That's worth three years. But that's hardly your worst problem."

"What crime?" Trevor asked. "You going to get me for smoking a cigarette?"

"No, for attempted murder," Kate replied. "You sabotaged a Yo-Yo aircraft. Specifically mine. The plane reeked of you, Trevor. I'll probably have to get it fumigated. That's a minimum of five years, so you're up to at least eight, then there's destruction of property. I'm sure we can find more if we try hard enough. But see the thing is, Trevor, I don't know you, you don't know me. To me, that means someone hired you. Tell me who, and we'll ask the D.A. to make nice." Kate pulled a pack of cigarettes, Trevor's brand, out of a paper bag. "We might even let you have one of these. But this offer is only good for the next thirty seconds. Twenty-nine, twenty-eight..."

"Alright!" Trevor interrupted. "I'll tell you. No skin off my nose. I listen to the news. The FBI already got him for kidnapping, and probably murder too. It was Tobert Minchkin. He hired me to mess with your plane."

Kate stuffed the cigarettes back into the paper bag. "Thanks, that's what we needed to know."

"Wait a minute," Trevor protested, "I need those."

Kate shrugged. "Sorry Trevor, no smoking in public buildings. You're going to have to wait until they let you outside, and I have a feeling you may be waiting a long time. Who knows? You might even kick the habit."

* * *

Kate and Rick watched a reporter narrating the clip playing across the big screen in his office. "So Minchkin was re-arrested for solicitation of murder," Castle recapitulated. "Yours, this time."

"And this time he won't be able to make bail," Kate added. "If he ever sees the sun again it will have to be from the courthouse steps or in the prison yard."

"It doesn't seem like it's enough," Rick grumbled. "The two men on the ship, threatening Melinda, keeping Jensen all those years, and worst of all, trying to kill you. I feel like instead of seeing him in jail, I'd like to see him on the rack. I think I'd really enjoy turning the wheel myself."

"I know what you mean, Babe, but life in maximum security will have to do. Unless you have a time machine, the rack would be considered cruel and unusual punishment."

"Time!" Castle exclaimed, consulting his watch. "It's almost time for Lily's piano to be delivered."

A truck pulled up the drive to the Castle castle as Rick spoke. The piano movers were experts in their trade. Carefully padded, the piano was on a special moving board that allowed it to be wheeled into the house. Rick pointed to the place prepared for it, and it was quickly but carefully assembled. The board and pads were returned to the truck and one of the movers ran his hands over the keys to assure Castle that nothing had been damaged in transit. Even with a casual application of fingers, the sound rang through the room. Rick couldn't wait for Lily to arrive from school.

As if it called to her, Lily spotted the new arrival almost as soon as she came through the door. She dropped her book bag, the piano drawing her like a magnet. She sat on the bench and immediately began to play her family sonata, incorporating unique themes for her brothers, her sister, her grandparents and her parents. His arm tightly around Kate, Rick let the music wash over him. He didn't even try to hide his tears.


	95. Chapter 95

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 95

"How many houses is this?" Esposito grumbled.

"Why, Javi?" Maria inquired. "Are your legs bothering you?"

"My legs are just fine," Javi replied. "I'm just not sure what you're looking for, except for one we can actually afford. But the Bronx, at least parts of it, works for that - sort of. We need a couple bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, maybe a living room, and a little yard for Manuel. We've seen all that. So what's the problem?"

"No problem, Javi. It's just that we're going to spend a lot of years there, maybe all our remaining ones. I just want a place that feels like home. I'll know it when I see it."

Esposito shrugged. "As you wish. What's the next one on the list?"

"There's one in Fieldston."

Javi's eyesbrows leaped to his hairline. "Fieldston? That's Castle's neighborhood. We can't afford no Fieldston."

Maria sighed. "We're not looking for a castle like his, just a little house. There's one in foreclosure that's going up for auction. They're estimating it will be in the three hundred thousand dollar range."

"That's still a lot, but why? What's wrong with it?"

"We can go look and find out. They are obligated to disclose any problems," Maria reminded him.

"Uh huh, and everyone always obeys the speed limit, but fine."

* * *

Slowly making her way through the house, Maria couldn't stop smiling. It was perfect. The rooms were spacious, the ceilings high, the hot water was hot and even the water pressure was decent. The yard was big enough for a swing set and a climbing house, and the kitchen had enough of both enough cabinets and counter space. They would have to update the appliances and do some tile work, but she could more than live with that "This is it, Javi. This is the one."

Esposito scrubbed a hand over the stubble that was beginning to emerge on his jaw. "I don't know. It's too perfect. Something's gotta be wrong somewhere. When something's too good to be true, that's when you run for the border."

"We could have someone check it out for us," Maria suggested.

"Yeah," Javi agreed. "And I know just who."

* * *

Alan Masters regarded every inch of each room with a practiced eye. "It looks like a nice place," he offered. "But the real problems in buildings are usually in the places you don't see. I'll need to check the attic, the basement, and the duct work. There could be mold or asbestos or unwanted wildlife hiding in there. We want to check the condition of the furnace and the water heater too. The last thing you want is for either of those to crap out in the middle of winter."

"Let's do it," Esposito said.

Alan wriggled into the crawlspace that passed for an attic and immediately pulled back. You buy this place, you're going to have to have it tented, or at least seriously exterminated," he reported. "This is an entomologist's paradise. It's a lot of bugs even for an old house. I wonder what...oh God!"

Alan scrambled down the ladder, his face white and a hand covering his mouth. "Javi, there's a body up there!"

* * *

"So there was a dead body in the attic?" Castle repeated. "Ooh, I remember when Beckett and I found one of those. It was the first time she climbed all over me. She never did admit that she enjoyed it. So how long had it been there and how did it get there? And who was it?"

"The M.E. says it was probably there at least six months. The roaches and all their disgusting pals had a fiesta. Nothing left but bones. That's why it wasn't stinking up the place," Esposito explained. "That tracks with the history of the house. The people who owned it died in a freeway accident. You know those falling rock zones on the thruway? They actually got hit by some. Completely crushed the car with them inside. The mortgage was paid during probate, but the funds ran out and the bank foreclosed. The body hasn't been identified yet. It doesn't match any DNA or dental records."

"Quite a mystery," Castle observed. "Does Maria still want the house?"

"That's the weird thing, she does," Esposito replied. "She says death is part of life and finding the body should knock the price way down. We could snag a great place that we can actually afford. But she'd like to know what happened."

"And how do you feel about it?" Castle asked.

"It kinda creeps me out," Javi admitted. "But I've been around enough bodies. I've seen a hell of a lot worse. If it makes her happy, I can deal with it. But I'd like to know what happened too."

"You can take the man out of homicide investigation but you can't take homicide investigation out of the man," Castle declared. "So are you going to investigate or are you going to leave it to the cops?"

"They're treating it like a cold case," Esposito replied. "Unless something else turns up, they're not going to devote any more resources. If this thing is going to be solved, I'll need to give them a kick in the ass."

Castle clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Hey bro, RCI is family. The kicks will come from multiple feet. Whatever it takes. I'll iron it out with Alexis."

* * *

It was Lily's first recital with Elliott Friedman as her teacher. Like her father, she was usually confident in front of an audience, but this time the butterflies beat their wings against her insides. All of Mr. Friedman's other students were good, really good. They would be playing Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Brahms, and Rachmaninoff. She would be playing one of her own compositions, her Ocean Sonata. Mr. Friedman couldn't have been more encouraging, even as he had her look at, and think again, about every tie and crescendo. He'd insisted she was ready to perform with the others. She hoped he was right.

Every one of the seventy four seats in the Steinway recital hall was filled and they would be streaming and recording video too. Daddy put video of her playing, up on YouTube sometimes, but this was different. Real musicians watched Mr. Friedman's students. Some of them had even been invited to programs like Wolf Trap. Not that Lily wanted that, at least not yet. With the new piano Daddy had given her as a surprise, Mr. Friedman, Kirk, and her Young People's Orchestra, she had everything she needed in New York. She also knew she'd miss Mama and Daddy and even her brothers if she went away, even for a summer. Still it was scary to know that people like that, who saw the best students in the world, would be watching.

Normally Elliott had his youngest students play first, but since Lily was being presented as a composer, rather than just a performer, she would be providing a break in the middle. That meant waiting through ten pieces. Her mouth was dry, but she was afraid to get a drink of water, in case she'd have to go to the bathroom again. She'd gone twice before she left the house and again when Mama and Daddy had brought her to the Steinway building. They were sitting in the front row with Grandma, Grandpa, and Alexis. She waited through the pieces the other students e played really well, trying to remember what Grandma taught her about breathing. Elliott's introduction of her sounded far away, but as he smiled for her, she made her way to the stage, took her place, and began to play.


	96. Chapter 96

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 96

"Wow!" Castle exclaimed, scrolling through the text on his tablet as his coffee cooled. "I set a Google alert for any coverage of Lily's recital. The Ledger had a piece on it in the arts section. They liked all of Friedman's students, but they loved Lily. They're calling her 'The Prodigy Composer.' They even noted that she got a standing ovation. It was picked up by a bunch of music websites too. Our daughter is getting famous."

Kate downed the last of her own vanilla latte. "I'm not sure I like that," she ruminated. "I'd rather have her enjoy a normal childhood. The last thing she needs is press hanging around her. You and I get more than enough of that as is. The kids should be off limits."

"I take your point, Kate, and I agree that she shouldn't be besieged by paparazzi," Castle conceded. "But this is not the reflected glory of a child of a power couple. Lily's done it on her own. All we did was pick up a tab here and there. If she's going to continue growing in her talent, she's going to get noticed. It's just going to be our job to keep her from being exploited until she's old enough to make her own choices. Maybe by the time she's thirty."

"So I take it you're not in favor of putting her on _Our Kid Has Talent,_ " Kate queried.

"Like the kid who balanced twenty balls on her nose? Although come to think of it, that was kind of compelling. But no. The last thing she needs is some supercilious producer trying to control her career and her life. But if a reasonable opportunity comes along, and she wants to take it, we'll do whatever it takes to keep the predators at bay," Castle replied.

"With you there, all the way, Babe," Kate agreed.

* * *

"You making progress on the background of the Shiners?" Alexis asked as Esposito scowled at his phone.

"It's slow," he admitted. "They lived in that house for thirty-five years, but they had almost nothing to do with their neighbors. I talked to one older lady who met them when they first moved in. She said they were open and friendly then, but then they went on a trip somewhere. They were gone for about six months. After that they were really closed off, didn't talk to anyone. Mr. Shiner went to work and Mrs. Shiner stayed home. No one saw them go out together anywhere for years. Then all of a sudden something changed. They still didn't say much, except for an occasional good morning when they picked up the paper or something. But it looked like they were both working, and they were seen at restaurants and even movies sometimes."

"That is strange," Alexis offered. "Any idea where they went for those six months or what might have happened?"

"Not yet. It's going to be hard to trace the records. Not much was digitized back then, but I might know where to look for stuff on paper. Everything in the house is supposed to be sold, so it was all there for potential buyers to check out. I saw some old files in the basement when Alan Masters was poking around. I'll have to check with the trustee to get permission to go through them, or maybe just buy them. Maybe I'll ask your Dad to help with sorting through them," Esposito considered. "He's really jazzed about this case and even Gates used to have him read through files for us."

* * *

Castle sneezed. "How does anything get this dusty sitting in a drawer?"

"I don't know Bro, but are you finding anything about the Shiners' trip?" Esposito queried.

"I think so," Castle responded. "There are some old bank records here with transfers of funds to Singapore. They occurred just before the Shiners would have taken off on the trip you mentioned. One of them was to a medical facility, Sunrise Clinic."

"You think they were sick?" Esposito wondered.

Castle pulled out his phone. "Let's see. Sunrise Clinic, Singapore. Hmm."

"What?" Esposito prodded.

"They specialize in detecting genetic diseases," Castle continued. "They've been at it for a long time. When the Shiners went to Singapore, they would have been one of the premier facilities practicing that specialty. Maybe Janice Shiner was pregnant and she and Stuart were afraid something would be wrong with their baby. I think I saw some of her records here someplace. Yeah. She worked at a chemical plant in New Jersey, Kripco. Maybe she was exposed to a teratogen."

"Speak English Castle," Esposito demanded.

"Something that causes birth defects," Castle clarified. "We need to find out more about that company."

* * *

The Caller ID on the Castle's land line indicated that a call was coming in from The Children's Channel. Kate would have assumed that someone was trying to hawk the subscription, except that she and Castle already had one. More from curiosity than anything else, she picked up the receiver. "Senator Beckett?" the female voice on the other end inquired.

"Yes," Kate replied cautiously.

"My name is Jilly Pendergast. I'm an associate producer at the Children's Channel. We are putting together a musical production where all the creative work, almost all of the work actually, will be done by kids. The adults will just be support. We read about your daughter and listened to her music online. We'd like to have her compose the songs."

"You want Lily to compose the songs for a television production?" Kate asked skeptically.

"We do," Jilly confirmed. "Of course since she's a minor we need parental consent. And there are all sorts of work rules too, for her protection of course. If I could have a meeting with you and your husband..." Jilly's voice choked. "Excuse me. I'm fangirling a little. I got though my teens on his Nikki Heat books. Oh, and of course I'd want you to bring Lily too. But if we could set up a time at your convenience for you to come to our headquarters here in the city to discuss it, that would be great. We're in Rockefeller Plaza."

"Hang on a minute," Kate cautioned. "My daughter has a pretty full schedule as is. She has school and music lessons, and an orchestra. I'm not sure I'd want to put this on her too. And I don't know whether she'd even be interested. Our boys like the Children's Channel, but she's never been much of a fan. My husband and I will talk it over with her, and I'll get back to you."

"Alright, Senator Beckett," Jilly agreed reluctantly. "But please don't wait too long. I don't know how long it takes your daughter to write music, but we'd like to get production underway at the beginning of next year and we'll need all our ducks in a row."

"You'll hear from me as soon as possible," Kate assured her, before ending the call.

Kate wasn't sure whether to call Castle at RCI. He had been pretty enthusiastic about helping Esposito solve "The Case of the body in the Attic." She did want to talk to him before Lily came home, but that wouldn't be for a few hours yet. She could allow him his playtime. She just hoped Lily would have a chance at hers. Things were moving fast, too fast. She knew Mozart performed for the crown heads of Europe when he was younger than Lily, but he also died at thirty-five. Stars that burn too brightly can burn out. That was not going to happen to Lily. No matter how good her music, she was going to have as normal a life as a Castle could have. Rick had gone to such lengths to give Alexis the childhood he'd never had. She was pretty sure he'd agree about Lily.


	97. Chapter 97

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 97

Castle paced the floor in the few minutes they had before the school van would pull up in the driveway. "Kate, I understand your apprehension about this and I share it, possibly more than you can imagine. But I think we have to consider the path Lily has chosen for herself. She wants to get into the pre-college program at Juilliard and she wants to do it as a composer. She's already working her butt off composing to get ready for that. Maybe the songs for Children's Channel are what she should be composing. It worked out great when she collaborated with Kirk on the music for the extravaganza at Latu's Trails, and that was before Elliott got into the act."

"Then maybe we should find out what he thinks, before saying anything to Lily," Kate suggested.

"Oh no no no," Castle protested. "Keeping things under wraps to protect each other is always what got us into trouble. It almost killed us - literally. It was always a disaster when I tried to keep stuff from Alexis too. I think we tell Lily now that the offer is there, but that Elliott is one of the people we need to talk to. We'll also have to get my lawyer to go over any contract they propose. Any of the entertainment companies I've ever had anything to do with as a writer, had their own band of lawyers ready to screw me out of anything they could. I wouldn't be surprised if they did the same to composers. If Lily says she doesn't want to do it, then the discussion is over. But if she does, she needs to understand that a decision is complicated. Damn! I hear the van. Think fast, Kate."

"Fine Castle, we'll tell Lily about the offer and take it from there."

The twins bounced through the door, immediately heading for snacks from the kitchen. Lily was about to follow them when Kate asked her to wait. Lily searched her parents' faces. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Oh no, Sweetheart," Castle assured her, "you did everything right, maybe too right. Mama can explain."

Kate quickly outlined what Jilly Pendergast had offered. "Lily, writing songs for TV is a lot of work even for a grown up and you have so much to do already. You should think hard about whether you want to do it or not," Kate urged. "And if you do, Daddy and I think you should talk to Mr. Friedman about it too."

"Most of the music on the Children's Channel shows Jake and Reese listen to is pretty jerky," Lily pondered. "If that's what they want - I don't know."

"That is certainly something we can find out," Castle counseled. "Before you decide anything, we can have a sit down with Ms. Pendergast, all of us, maybe even Mr. Friedman too, if he has time."

"Okay," Lily agreed. "I don't think I want my snack now. Can I just play for a while before I start my homework?"

Castle bent to kiss her forehead. "Of course."

"I never had the chance to ask you what clues have you uncovered to your mystery." Kate reminded Castle, as the music Lily coaxed from the grand piano rose in the background.

"Still working on them," Castle confessed. "I need to track down some information on a company called Kripco. I took a cursory look, but they're privately held, so it isn't all just out there. I'm going to have to dig. But I need to finish some revisions on my current chapter, first."

Kate reached up to feel his forehead. "No fever. Richard Castle spurning an opportunity to procrastinate; what's going on?"

Rick's mouth rose crookedly. "My editor is going into her ninth month and I want to get them to her before the little one makes an entrance. Otherwise I'll have to start again with the guy who'll be filling in during her maternity leave. He's never published a book himself, but he's fresh out of the graduate program at NYU and feels imbued with all knowledge. It's going to be hard enough to break him in as is."

"Maybe you should invite him to a poker game," Kate suggested.

"It's thought, but Connelly was our best hazer after Cannell passed on, and he hasn't been showing up much anymore. I can handle the newbie. I just don't want to have to do it on this chapter."

Kate waved a hand in the direction of his office. "Then go write. I'll take care of dinner. I dug up one of my Nona's old recipes I want to try out."

Castle grinned. "Deal!"

* * *

Stuffed with risotto with lemon and green beans, Castle was a little sleepy when he finally began his research on Kripco. There was nothing about any toxic exposures in any official statements. He'd expected that. He'd have to look for articles, probably archived, whistle blower disclosures, and lawsuits. Half an hour later, he tripped over something that brought him to alertness. A lawsuit had been filed by several workers, both male and female, alleging the implication of chemical exposures at Kripco in their children's birth defects. Several different disabilities had been involved, so it was difficult to develop a firm link, but all involved problems with growth, intellectual impairments, or both. The suits had been dismissed, but an article about the angry families who were parties to the suits, indicated that they were still convinced that Kripco was responsible for the suffering of their children.

Janice Shiner had worked at Kripco around the same time as the workers who had filed suit, but Castle could find nothing to indicate the Shiners had filed a suit of their own or made any kind of a claim. Still, it bolstered his theory about the trip to Singapore. It fit in with the narrative Esposito had obtained from the neighbor, as well. If Janice and Stuart Shiner had a child requiring continuous care, Janice might have chosen to stay home with him or her. The question was: what changed to allow the Shiners to reenter the world as a couple? Did their child die or did something else happen? And what bearing, if any, did the child have on the body in the attic? Castle hoped that the records that Esposito was continuing to examine would shed some light. A copy of the M.E.'s report wouldn't hurt either. All Esposito had managed to get was the approximate length time the body had been in the attic. They might have to call in some favors and pull some strings to get the full file, but that was nothing new. There was an answer out there somewhere.

* * *

"I don't honestly think that having Lily compose commercial music would impress anyone at Juilliard," Elliott Friedman confided when Rick and Kate called. "They'll evaluate her skills on their own merits. But composing to specifications and within a time line would certainly aid in the development of Lily's discipline. Right now everything she does is out of pure love for the music. But that won't always be possible. There will be times when she will be tired, or have to deal with music she doesn't like, or even detests. That is part of the profession. I understand your concerns. She is still so young. I'm not entirely convinced that she is ready for this either, but I would be happy to sit in on the meeting to evaluate their proposal. If I don't feel it is in her best interests, I will tell you and I'll tell Lily as well."

"Well," Castle remarked, "that's fair."


	98. Chapter 98

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 98

The offices of the Children's Channel were decorated in primary colors. They would have had more luck gaining favor with both Lily and Kate if they'd added purple. Jillian Pendergast and the two executives that flanked her at the conference table wore beneficent smiles that neither Castle nor Kate trusted for a moment. On her side of the conference table, Lily sat between her parents, with Elliott Friedman on the other side of Castle. Models of cartoon-like animals were spread across the table for display.

"I'm Margie Percival," the woman at Jillian's right introduced herself. "I'm the executive producer of the project we'd like Lily to join." She waved a hand at the models. "It will be Carnival of the Animals and these will be the characters, all played by youngsters like Lily. We would like her to write the music that will enhance their personalities."

"Saint-Saëns already wrote Carnival of the Animals music," Lily pointed out. "Our Young People's Orchestra has played it. Why don't you use his? It's wonderful."

"Because he wrote it as an adult," The man in Jillian's left explained. "I'm Charles Cord, Director of Programming. What we have in mind is a young person's production. With mentors, children will act the roles, write the dialogue, and if Lily is willing, she will write the music. We feel that work by their peers may be easier for young people to relate to. This project is a test balloon. If it succeeds, there may be others."

"If I write the music, could Mr. Friedman be my mentor?" Lily asked.

Margie cleared her throat. "You will need someone experienced in scoring for television, so the music will fit what the players are doing on the screen, but we would be willing to use Mr. Friedman's input."

"And how long would Lily have to complete the work?" Friedman asked.

"A little over three months," Margie replied. "Normally the score for a show can be turned around in as little as two days, but with Lily's age and inexperience, she'll get as much of an advanced script as we can manage and she'll also have a chance to familiarize herself with the characters. It should be more than enough."

"I write fast," Lily declared, "but I don't like the music on _Dudley Jujube_ or _Brax the Pirate._ I hear it sometimes when my little brothers watch. The themes don't fit the characters. The first mate sounds like Daddy's cappuccino machine. I don't want to write like that."

Kate covered her mouth to keep a straight face. Cord coughed.

"You won't have to make any of the animals sound like a cappuccino machine," Margie assured Lily.

Jillian pointed to a pig with huge eyelashes and a bow on her tail. "What do you think she'd sound like, Lily?"

Lily stared at the figure for a moment then hummed a few measures of music.

Cord clapped his hands. "Just the sort of thing we have in mind! Lily, you'll be terrific."

"Before you get carried away, Mr. Cord, I'll need all the paperwork for my lawyer to study," Rick insisted.

The joy on Cord's face diminished. "Yes, of course, Mr. Castle. We understand that you and Ms. Beckett want to protect your daughter."

"You have no idea," Castle responded, looking down at Lily. "Sweetheart, do you have any more questions?"

"Could you add a purple elephant to the carnival?" Lily wondered.

Cord and Percival looked at each other. Cord shrugged and nodded. "Lily," Margie answered, "I think that can be arranged."

* * *

With dinner and bedtimes for the twins and for Lily long past, Castle put his feet on his desk as he studied a copy of an M.E.'s report that Lanie had managed to obtain and send to him. The body was that of a man. The cause of death was blunt trauma. The skull had been fractured, whether deliberately or accidentally could not be determined, but there were no patterns matching a known weapon. What was more interesting were the abnormalities in the bones. The head was disproportionately large, as were the hands, feet, and jaw. The forehead protruded and the eyes were too far apart. The M.E. had pegged the characteristics as consistent with a rare genetic disorder known as Sotos syndrome. It sounded familiar. He had seen it on the lawsuit somewhere. Castle flipped open his laptop and googled it. Rare was right, the incidence was only one in fourteen thousand births. Though occasionally familial, most cases were the result of a spontaneous mutation. That certainly fit with a toxic exposure scenario. Those with the syndrome generally lived normal lifespans, but with a varied array of cognitive, developmental, and intellectual impairments. Babies were often born large, and although adults were of normal height, growth in infancy and childhood was abnormally swift. Many with the syndrome were also prone to excessive aggression. Castle imagined that would have been a formidable challenge to any parents. He checked his email for any more information from Esposito.

Javier had discovered bank records indicating that the Shiners had received a payment of a million dollars, shortly before leaving for Singapore. The money had been steadily drained during their stay there, and over the years when Janice Shiner was not working. Much of the balance of it had disappeared, just before the time when she returned to the workforce. Castle asked Kate to join him in a brainstorming phone session with Esposito.

"Picture this," Castle proposed. "Some toxic chemical at Kripco sparks a bunch of mutations that causes the workers to have children with birth defects. The defects are different enough to convince the court to dismiss the employees' suits. But then, Janice Shiner comes along. She is pregnant, but her doctor figures out the baby is growing too fast. She knows that's similar to what happened to one of her co-workers and she goes to management. They consult with their doctors who realize it may be another case of Sotos syndrome. The odds of two Sotos births would be one in a hundred and ninety-six million. That would raise enough doubt to allow the suit to be refiled. The awards could bankrupt the company. So Kripco offers Janice a million dollars, but with a gag agreement. She and Stuart never file suit or say anything to anyone. They go off to Singapore where the diagnosis is confirmed and Janice delivers the child. Then they come back and Janice takes care of him in secret. But she has a rough time of it. The child is aggressive. She's getting hurt. She can't tell anyone. She can't ask anyone except Stuart for help, and he's gone all day. Finally the boy grows too big and violent for her to handle, even with Stuart's help. She and Stuart decide to use the rest of the money to put him in a secret home somewhere, allowing them to emerge into the sunlight."

"So if the body is that of their son, what was he doing back in the house and how did he end up dead in the attic?" Esposito asked.

"Well if there was a son, and he was sent off, there has to be a record somewhere of what happened to him," Kate asserted.

"If there is," Castle declared. We'll find it."


	99. Chapter 99

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 99

"Henry," Castle greeted the call from his lawyer. "I was just about to call you. What do you think about the contract Children's Channel is trying to offer Lily?"

"To put it bluntly, Rick, it sucks. If these people were accused of stealing candy from babies I wouldn't be surprised. First of all, it would give them permission to use Lily's music whenever and wherever they wanted, with no extra remuneration."

"You mean they could have series featuring the same characters with Lily's themes and not pay her any more for them?" Castle questioned.

"Bingo!" Henry replied. "Also, if Lily became unhappy, she couldn't make this a one time thing. They'd have an option for more of her work. She wouldn't even be able to negotiate price or take it somewhere else. Lily would also be tied to their choice of mentor and be obliged to follow his instructions. Rick, I'm sure you'd hate to disappoint her if Lily wants to do this, but these people are sharks. Don't let them get their teeth into her."

The creases between Castle's brows deepened as his hands fisted. "Message received, Henry. Thank you."

Tossing his phone on the desk, Castle began to pace the hall outside his office, as Kate was walking to hers. "Babe, you have a look on your face that would make Debby Downer look cheerful. What's wrong?"

Castle reiterated what Henry had told him about the contract. "You know contracts have never been the aspect of the law I'm best at," Kate said, "but when I looked it over, I didn't like it. What Henry said just confirms what I saw. You know Elliott wasn't that enthusiastic either. He felt that with the number of people involved and the demands that would be made on Lily, it would interfere with her preparation for her audition with Juilliard. He was going to talk to her about it at her lesson today."

"I think we can go ahead and have him do that," Castle offered, "and if he does, and Lily still thinks she wants to do it, we're going to have to say no. But I'm picturing that sad little face and it breaks my heart."

"I know Castle," Kate commiserated, "but we have a few hours to prepare ourselves."

Castle sighed. "Yeah, too bad that at this hour scotch is inappropriate to the task. Not as effective, but might as well immerse myself in searching for clues to the body in the attic mystery for a while."

For lack of better keyword, Castle began a search for Sotos Syndrome, scrolling through the pages of clinical descriptions. On a hunch, he switched from all mentions, to news. Skimming past the sensationalized stories about tall teenagers, he found an alert dating back a little over six months. The alert had been issued for a man who was missing from a home for the developmentally disabled. His name was only given as John, but the description specified that he had Sotos Syndrome. Castle could find no mention of John being found. Could he have run away to go back to his own home? What would have happened if he did?"

Anything more about John would be sealed under privacy regulations, but if he did return to confront his parents, there was one avenue that remained to be checked - the autopsies of the Shiners. Even with the cause of their deaths established as falling rocks, there might have been something else telling on the bodies. They hadn't been killed within New York City's jurisdiction, but M.E.'s had been known to network. He hated to call on Lanie again, but it might be just the sort of mystery to fascinate Doctor Death. His call to Clark Murray went to voicemail, but Castle sent off an email before he and Kate left to take Lily to see Elliott Friedman.

* * *

Elliott asked to speak to Lily privately before they began work on the piece she had been preparing. Kate suggested to Rick that instead of anxiously treading the wood floors of the hallway, they should go grab a coffee at a nearby cafe. Castle decided that he was not in need of caffeine, but settled instead on the comfort of hot chocolate with extra marshmallows. He and Kate did their best to linger over their cups, but when they returned to Elliott's studio, Lily was still in full concentration at the keyboard. They waited through the end of the music and Elliott's notes to Lily on her rendition.

Lily said nothing on the walk to the car. As Kate guided the vehicle on the familiar route to Fieldston, Castle dreaded broaching the subject of the Children's Channel. His breath caught in his chest and his brows rose, as Lily brought it up herself, announcing that she'd decided she didn't want to write the music for the Animal Carnival.

Castle exhaled, feeling his pounding heartbeat gradually slow. "That's just fine, Sweetheart. You know Mama and I are proud of you whatever you do. Any particular reason?"

"I listened to more of what Jake and Reese were watching and I think the Music Channel's music is yucky," she declared. "I asked Mr. Friedman, and he thinks it's yucky too. He was afraid my mentor from there might want me to write yucky music and Mr. Friedman wants me to be able to write something better. And if I want to write a theme for my purple elephant, I can do it anytime. I don't need them."

"You certainly don't," Kate agreed.

"I wonder if they'll try to get another kid to do it," Lily pondered.

"From what Mr. Friedman says, they'd have a hard time finding one." Castle replied.

Lily settled back in her seat. "They probably should use Saint-Saëns."

"Yeah," Castle muttered under his breath. "At least their lawyers wouldn't have to try to figure out how to snooker a ghost."

* * *

Doctor Clark Murray examined the autopsy photos of the Shiners, blew them up as much as he could without blurring the images, and examined them again. Janice's pelvic bones indicated that she had at some time in her life carried a child, even if there was no official record that she'd done so. There was also no mistaking the presence of defensive wounds on both of them. Clearly they'd thrown up their forearms to try to protect themselves. The deepest bruise was on Stuart Shiner. Janet Shiner had a bite mark just above the clavicle and a trail of small bruises that looked like pinch marks, on her arms. If he had to guess, and he was sure Rick would want him to, he would say that Janet had been attacked and Stuart stepped in to defend her. After that he couldn't say, but imagined that Rick would have theory. He didn't want to try to communicate his findings on the phone, but he used it to check the time. It was six P.M.. With three small children, no doubt the Castles ate early. If he met Rick at the castle the writer called home, a get-together at seven thirty should work out just about right. He called Rick to make the arrangements.

* * *

Castle had asked Esposito to join him and Kate in their conference with Murray. As the four sat around a table, Castle regarded the photos Murray had splayed out. "So putting all the evidence together, we know Janice Shiner was pregnant at some point. She was mostly likely paid off by Kripco and she and Stuart raised the child, John, who was eventually put in the facility that reported him missing. Suppose he found his way back to the Shiner's house. He saw his parents, especially Janice, as deserting him. He was angry, out of control. He attacked Janet. He bit her and pinched her. She tried to defend herself and when she couldn't, Stuart intervened. Maybe he hit John with something. Maybe he pushed him and John hit his head."

Murray nodded. "Either one would be consistent with the findings."

"We do know that John was never seen again," Castle added, "at least not alive. So the Shiners have a dead body on their hands. They panic and shove John's corpse in the attic. Then they take off, only to be smashed flat on the thruway. Fast forward about six months and Alan Masters finds the bones."

"That explanation would certainly fit all the facts," Murray accepted. "Damn sad story."

"So Espo," Castle asked, "after hearing all that, you still want to buy the house?"

"Damn straight!" Esposito declared. "A guy killed by his parents? We spread the story around, Maria and I should get the place for a steal."

Kate just rolled her eyes.


	100. Chapter 100

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 100

A/N Dear Guest, I am well aware of the law regarding education for those with disabilities. I raised two sons covered by it. I've also advocated for other people's children. Getting the help that the law mandates is often not nearly so straightforward as one would hope. You can check out some of what I wrote on the subject in my AU story, Ian, in which Castle has a learning disabled son. Also many parents don't know the law exists. I've actually had to tweet that info to some parents. Shameful, huh? Hopefully the law will continue to exist, considering what is going on. However, the Shiners were keeping John a secret. They may or may not have known what supports should have been available to them. They believed they couldn't reveal his existence, let alone send him to school. That was the point. If they hadn't taken the deal from Kripco, both they and John would have been better off. A sad but not entirely impossible story.

* * *

"The M.E. finally got around to doing a familial comparison of DNA from the Shiners and the body in Maria and Javi's attic," Castle announced. "It was their son."

"You don't look that happy at having all your speculation confirmed," Kate noted.

"I have a certain pride in my vindication," Castle admitted, "but Murray was right. It is a sad story. We have other things to think about, however. The twins have abandoned their request to be on a pirate ship for their birthday."

"Where do they want to go now?" Kate asked.

"The new D.C. Museum that just opened up in Cleveland. They saw it as a co-promotion on a commercial for the newest reboot of Superman."

"Wow, how many is that now?" Kate wondered.

"I hate to admit it, but even I've lost track," Castle confessed. "Besides, you know I'm more a Marvel person, as are you, my beautiful bride."

Kate looked down at the baggy but comfortable sweats she'd pulled on that morning. "Was that supposed be ironic?"

"Not at all, not even the more correct sarcastic," Castle quipped. "You are beautiful regardless of costume. I vividly remember what's underneath."

Kate's mouth flipped skyward as she recalled the night before. "Yes, I sure you do. Intimately. But before we get too offtrack, Cleveland?"

"It makes sense when you think about it," Castle pointed out. "That is where Siegel and Shuster came up with the Man of Steel. Cleveland already has the tourist trade from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, although probably not quite the same target audience. Still, not a bad spot. They have some of the best food in the country. Big Jake and Reese enjoyed taking a run up there when they finished rescuing Melinda Adkins in Cuyahoga Falls. Reese raved about the paczki. Those are Polish donuts."

"I know what they are, Castle. I'm not surprised that Big Reese would love them, but not quite what I'd want to feed Lily and our Jake and Reese, even if they have gluten free ones." She gave a playful tickle to the tiny bulge above his belt. "You don't need them either."

Rick inhaled, tightening his abdominal muscles. "Point taken. We can keep to more appropriate nutritional guidelines, but how about the trip? It's only about a six hour drive, maybe seven allowing for rest stops. We could easily do it in a day. We could get a nice family-friendly hotel away from the casino."

"I'll go with the family-friendly hotel, Babe, but I could fly us there in an hour. I have a lot more flight time in now and Petra has checked and re-checked Johanna. She's perfect. And statistically it is safer than taking the car. Also you know the boys will love the adventure. Lily will too. She's been saying she'd like to write a song about the sky to go with her Ocean Sonata. The flight might be inspiring for her."

Castle put up a hand. "Alright, your logic is making inroads at overcoming my irrational fear of having my family crash into Lake Erie. At least if we go, we'll go together. You take care of the flight, I'll make all the other arrangements."

* * *

Lily was strapped into her seat, with a small keyboard across her lap and earphones in her ears. She felt, rather than heard, the rhythm of the engine, and tapped out themes to complement it. Both boys had demanded window seats and though Kate allowed no slack in their safety belts, stared out at the clouds suspended in the blue of the sky. Reese took the opportunity to sketch the view as background for his latest drawing. Jake chattered out a tale of a hero replacing the clouds with marshmallow fluff that would rain down and stick a super villain to the ground, stopping him his tracks while he was attacked by every ant in the neighborhood. It reminded Castle a little of the threats Gina used to make about what she'd do to him if he failed to show at a book signing, if slightly less hostile. Jake had a definite flare for drama. Perhaps he and Reese would be the next Siegel and Shuster, although he'd prefer to aim them toward Stan Lee, who he was more convinced every day had found the secret to immortality.

Kate landed at a small Cleveland lakefront airport. She was immediately taken with the luxury of the place. When she she accompanied Lily to the Ladies Room, she found the appointments more like she would expect at one of Castle's five star hotels. After the very basic facilities at Sullenberger field, it was startling. Every possible toiletry was provided to refresh the traveler. They even had her favorite brand of hand lotion and Lily was quite taken with a strawberry scented soap.

Castle reported that the Men's Room was similarly supplied, in a manly fashion, of course. The endlessly helpful staff summoned a van that was on call, to take the Castles to their hotel. Rick had rented the largest family suite available. There were rooms for Lily and the twins, as well as a master with a second attached bath for himself and Kate. The sitting room featured a table large enough to accommodate a family dinner and well as a huge screen connected to a full array of video games and streaming services. A desk was also provided to accommodate a computer, with provision to linking to the large screen as well.

Jake and Reese were anxious to get to the museum, but Kate and Rick decided that in the interest of avoiding mirror image crankiness, it would be best if the family ate first. The hotel had a restaurant attached, and Rick figured it would be faster than room service. The eatery paid homage to the sixties. Each table had a miniature replica of a juke box, where selections could be made to play on a large one hooked into the sound system. In keeping with the era portrayed, a dime would allow the choice of one selection, and a quarter, three. The twins were delighted that there were songs by Alvin and the Chipmunks and requested the chirpy music with their lunches. Lily wanted to explore "Blame It On The Bossa Nova," a hit single by Eydie Gormé, the bossa nova being one kind of music she'd never heard of before.

Castle was enticed by the crock of dill pickle slices provided to the table, snacking on them for the few moments before the food was served. The twins enjoyed the old style coloring place mats and the packets of crayons that came with them, although Reese objected to the style of the art and did his best to correct it. The crisp fries and moist chicken would have worked in any era, but the milkshakes crafted on vintage machines dispersing multiple scoops of home made ice cream in tall metal containers were a definite throwback, a very welcome one for both Lily and Kate.

Suitably armored against irritability, the family took a shuttle to the museum. Reese's eyes widened at the giant figure of the 1938 version of Superman that towered over the entrance. "He looks like he could jump off," the boy remarked. "That old Superman jumped instead of flying."

"I know," Castle agreed, "but I think he'll stay put. What hero do you boys want to see first?"

"All of them," Jake proclaimed gleefully.

Rick and Kate looked at each other. "Justice League," emanated from their lips in perfect synchrony.

A/N The airport is real. I've been there, in fact at the same time a Trump plane was there, but not for that reason. The accommodations were startling, at least to someone in a middle class income bracket. The hotel, restaurant, and museum are all made up. I do remember from the sixties being able to choose music and having pickle crocks on tables. The pickles were terrific - and low cal too.


	101. Chapter 101

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 101

An afternoon was not enough to check out every exhibit in the DC Superhero museum, so the Castles returned the next day. The twins explored every nook and cranny. Reese studied the renderings of all the different artists. He also pointed out the differences in the costumes and the often extreme changes in the characters. Jake had his own ideas where he wanted the characters to go, and explained them to Reese, so he could ponder how to draw them. All of that enhanced the Siegel and Shuster comparison in Castle's mind. The Cleveland duo had come up with their superhero in high school. That could mean the twins had a decade or so to wait, but if the boys continued in that direction, Rick would make sure they had whatever support they needed.

Lily had found her own fascination. A theater displayed clips of superheroes and the musical themes associated with them. Lily was particularly drawn by the flight scene in Superman the Movie in 1978, in which Christopher Reeve and Margo Kidder soared to John Williams' music. After giving in to four viewings, Castle promised to help her obtain the movie, the soundtrack, and the sheet music.

Kate flew the family back to New York that afternoon, with the twins tired enough to actually sleep a few minutes in flight. It was a Sunday, and Halloween. The house had already been extravagantly decorated. Costumes, superheroes of course, for Jake and Reese, were laid out and ready. The Castles would be back in time to hand out candy and make the rounds of the neighborhood, but the evening would have to end early enough for the kids to grab sufficient rest to stay awake in school the next day. The twins didn't even lodge a protest at bedtime.

Jake's and Reese's actual birthday wouldn't be until the following Tuesday, but that would also be Alexis' seventh anniversary with Sergei and a large celebration would be held at the home of Sarah and Timothy Kasparov. The party started at eight P.M.. The twins and Lily arrived with their parents, but were bedded down with other youngsters of family and friends, in the basement recreation room. They had their own semi-sleepover, leaving the parents free to enjoy adult food, dancing, and unfettered conversation. A rug had been rolled back, exposing a hardwood floor perfect for a graceful twirl or seriously getting down. Sergei's brother George took the duties of a DJ and started the music pouring through speakers. Alexis and Sergei were the first out, holding each other and swaying gently to the slow music of "Lady in Red." Sergei's other siblings, Bob, Tom, Tatiana, and Svetlana, joined them as the selections picked up steam, pulsing to the latest high energy beat. Rick and Kate decided to sit things out until the music slowed again, nibbling on tiny blini topped with sour cream and sipping white wine.

After the energetic set, George mellowed the music out to the strains of Frank Sinatra. Kate and Rick took the floor along with Sarah and Timothy, and Martha and Jim who had arrived later. The evening crested with a cake, the opening of gifts, and a final dance led by Alexis and Sergei.

Kate and Rick retrieved their drowsing children and ushered them into the comfortable sedan provided by a car service, for the ride back to Fieldston. They obligingly slept most of the way. After depositing Lily and the twins snugly in their beds, Kate and Rick settled on the couch in front of the fireplace. A damp November chill had seeped into the city and the flames warmed them in a way the quietly efficient heating system couldn't.

Kate settled against the breadth of Castle's chest, in the circle of his arms. "I think I've had enough celebrations for a while."

"We have twenty-three days until Thanksgiving, then of course there will be Christmas and New Years and after that you'll be back to commuting to Albany. Do you think you'll be recovered, or do you want to scale back this year?" Castle asked.

Kate sat up, dislodging his arms. "How much wine did you have? Did I hear Richard Castle, master of grand pageantry, offering to scale back?"

"If it means getting to spend more time with you and the kids, absolutely. I don't need to go over the top decorating and putting on a show for the neighborhood. Lily's interests are solid. As long as she has her music, she's happy. We can see where Reese and Jake are heading too, at least for now. Reese is going to pursue his brand of art and Jake is becoming a storyteller with a lust for adventure."

"Can't imagine where he gets that from," Kate remarked.

"My point is," Rick continued, "I don't need the grand gestures as much anymore, neither do they. And you never did. We should just do what we can to support their paths, which we are already doing anyway, and then find as much time as we can for each other. That's more important than having the whole neighborhood come to snap selfies in front of some spectacular display in our yard."

Kate cupped his cheek in the warmth of her palm. "What brought this on?"

"You remember Coogie Brice?" Castle asked. "He's another writer with Curtis and Strom. You've met him a couple of times at publicity events."

"Uh huh, I remember him, about five four, balding with glasses. He was sweet. He held himself back from the last shrimp canape on a tray, so I could have it. I remember his wife too. She's tall, auburn hair - natural I think - and one of those sweet almost little girl voices. Cindy, a teacher, right? Kindergarten?"

Castle shook his head. "Sadly, not anymore. She passed away. It was very sudden. They were visiting with her family in California. She had a headache and then she started throwing up and didn't know where she was. Coogie thought maybe it was a really bad migraine and took her to the emergency room. But it wasn't a migraine, it was meningitis, some weird kind that the antibiotics couldn't touch. The doctors could never even figure out where it came from. It overwhelmed her. Within a couple of days she was gone."

Kate wrapped her hands around his. "When did you find out about this?"

"This morning. I pushed it to the back of my mind. I didn't want to spoil the day, but holding you, it all resurfaced. Coogie poured the whole story out on his blog. It was heartrending, Kate. He and Cindy had no children of their own. Cindy was his whole world. And now that world is gone. Anything can happen at any time Kate. We've seen it over and over. People's lives are wrenched from them in an instant and everything changes. We've come so close to it ourselves. I don't want to waste any time we have together, any time we have with family. I want to hang onto every minute."

Kate pressed herself against him, absorbing the heat of his body and breathing as he drew breath. I get it Babe, and I want to hang on with you. Now that I have Johanna, I'll be here every minute I can during the coming session. You may even get sick of having me around."

Rick wrapped his arms around her again, as if to fuse their bodies into one. "I don't see how that could ever be possible."


	102. Chapter 102

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 102

Castle watched as Kate mounted the few steps leading into Johanna. They'd both said and kissed goodbye, but he waved a final time, even as her back was to him. The start of this Senate session seemed harder somehow. Maybe it was because Kate was on more committees and would have more responsibilities in Albany. Perhaps it was because Lily was also working with Elliott on weekends, preparing her compositions for her application to the pre-college program at Juilliard. Trips to the house in Albany would be at a minimum. Still, Kate would fly home whenever she could, he knew she would, and the Lily would only be constrained for the few remaining months until her application was filed. He had certainly managed before under worse circumstances, but the six months with Kate in New York almost full time had been so wonderful this past year, he hated to let them go. Nevertheless, the Kate he loved would ever threaten the giants with her lance. To change that would be to change her. He would keep the home fires burning as she pursued her quest.

Kate had been appointed to the relatively new committee on response to climate change. As a former cop, she was well acquainted with the institution of emergency measures. The need for them was becoming more and more frequent and the committee was looking to issue some form of guidance as to protocols that might be helpful statewide. She had a lot of studying to do. New York City was in some ways a city state, an entity unto itself. It had different needs and different perceptions than many other parts of the state. While the city might be concerned with flooded subways, more rural areas would be dealing with runoff from flooded farmlands. That directly intersected with water quality. Then there was Lake Erie, a primary focus in Albany. As the temperature rose, the lake froze later and later in the year - when it froze at all. The colder northern winds blowing across the warmer water, led to increasing amounts of lake effect snow, with rising costs for removal as well as complications in transportation. Those complications impacted her flights to and from New York as well.

The hazardous waste sites that had expanded during the lifting of environmental regulations were also a risk. Enough flooding could spread contamination far beyond the borders of their dumping grounds. Possible flows toward schools, playgrounds, and other vulnerable areas had to be plotted, and safeguards put in place. Many local municipalities were attempting to attack the situation, but their resources were limited and state assistance would be required.

The growing season had shifted as well. Farmers were bringing in new crops to accommodate it, but many of them needed support. Trees were involved, and it would be years before many of them reached maturity. Stop gap measures would be required in the interim.

Considering all the different aspects her committee should be addressing made her head spin. She'd attended a top, if public, technical high school and taken all the required math and science courses, but she'd been away from those disciplines too long. Too much had happened. She would be putting in a lot of cram time. The quick flights home would not be nearly so frequent as she and Castle had hoped. There was no reason she couldn't study just as well, if not better, in the city, but even that wouldn't help much to increase her real time with her family. She'd just have to do the best she could in her self-imposed exile.

* * *

Castle had begun to wish that he was twins, or better yet triplets. Jake and Reese both had the new strain of flu, the one that had not been detected soon enough to be included in that year's vaccine. Maria and Javi had offered to let Lily stay with them, living close enough in Fieldston that her transportation to school wouldn't change much. Unfortunately that location kept the girl away from her grand piano. She was doing her best with a portable keyboard. Castle had engaged a car service to take her back and forth to Elliott's studio. He knew she was up to it, but he still hated the thought of her going alone.

While providing aid and comfort to the boys, he was trying desperately to avoid getting sick himself. Hand sanitizer was in his pockets at all times and he tried to disinfect everything the twins touched. He even had a mask, though it worried him that the boys were too sick to come up with a tale of some creepy villain who would wear one like it. Rick knew his efforts were in vain when the pain that was the was the signature start of the malady, encased his head in cement. He popped a couple of pills to keep the symptoms at bay, but the fatigue was like lead weights on his shoulders and ankles. It took every ounce of willpower to rouse himself sufficiently just to keep bringing the boys enough liquids to keep them hydrated. As much as he wished Kate was there, he didn't want her to come home to catch it. He didn't want to expose anyone else from his family either.

He decided to enlist the help of a home health aide. There was no way insurance would cover one for something like the flu, even if he did feel like he'd been in a major accident. But he didn't care. He and the twins needed the help, whatever it cost.

When Castle saw the name Bertha Krutz, he pictured a large, commanding, solidly built woman, reminiscent of a Wagnerian soprano. The reality was nothing like he had envisioned. The aide was five foot five, a hundred and ten pounds, and endlessly cheerful. She had also contracted the disease early in the season. She was immune now, but entirely sympathetic. She immediately ordered Castle to bed and assured him she'd take care of everything.

In short order, the scent of garlic and herbs filled the air as chicken soup simmered on the stove. Temperatures were taken, pillows fluffed, new boxes of tissues provided, and bedclothes straightened. She even washed the dishes and started a load of laundry.

Even with the sudden relief of succor, Castle had only intended to rest, but his pillows were unable to support the extreme weight of his head. Slumber dragged him into its grasp.

 _Kate was flying Johanna over Westchester County again, only this time instead of one militia compound, there were dozens, and they all aimed their guns at the hapless Yo-Yo. The bullets became bees, but they dropped from the sky, victims of pesticide poisoning. The rain of insects plunged into ponds covered with toxic algae blooms, freezing and cracking under an assault by the frozen pellets of an ice storm. As_ _J_ _ohanna was buffeted by the frigid wind,_ _Kate struggle_ _d_ _with the yoke. In the co-pilot_ _'_ _s seat, the grinning gargoyle_ _'s_ _face of Topher raised a glass of champagne, which turned to sulfurous pitch. The goo overflowed the glass, flooding down, stealing Castle's breath._

He awoke, a cough exploding from his lungs.

Bertha rushed into the room. "Are you all right Mr. Castle?" She handed him a glass of water from the bedside table.

Castle gulped, the liquid dispersing the grunge in his throat. "I'm okay. But can you hand me my phone? I really need to call my wife."

Kate had stretched out on the couch at the Albany house for a short nap between cramming sessions. Castle's ring tone woke her, as she struggled to free herself from the stinking muck that had been her backyard, while toxic rain threatened to drown her. She could have sworn she'd seen Topher drinking champagne. She pulled herself up as she grabbed for her phone. "Hey Babe! I hope you're calling because you're feeling better. It's so great to hear your voice. You pulled me out of a nightmare you wouldn't believe."

Castle pulled at his sweat dampened t-shirt. "I'm pretty sure I would."


	103. Chapter 103

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 103

Bertha Krotz wished that all her assignments could be as pleasant as the one she'd had with Castle family. Not only was the house beautiful, but even when sick, Richard Castle was charming. The boys were adorable, and the sweet greeting they and their father had for their mother when she returned home almost brought her to tears. The boys were even glad to see their sister.

She truly enjoyed telling her brother Wernie not to try to rob the Castle family. Her excuse was that the security system was impenetrable. What she didn't tell him was that Richard Castle had given her a code. He might have changed it after she left. She didn't know. But if he hadn't, it might have given Wernie an in. She didn't want to chance that.

She didn't really mind when Wernie ripped off obnoxious clients who treated her like dirt and ordered her around like a slave. If anything, she regarded the extra money as a well deserved tip. But the Castles didn't fall into that category. And Richard Castle had given her a very nice tip anyway.

She wasn't looking forward to her next assignment. She'd taken care of the client before. Gerald Farquardt was a crotchety old man. He never had a kind word for anyone or anything, but was constantly issuing orders. Some of the other aides had nicknamed him Farky. He was living on Social Security and a small pension. There wouldn't be anything for Wernie there either. Farky's health went through cycles, although his recent series of infections was the worst things had been. When he was going through a bad patch, his daughter Daffodil kicked in to buy him some extra care. Recently, that had been a lot more often. Bertha had never met her, which wasn't surprising. Parting with money had to be easier than spending time with her father. Bertha wished she could pay someone to take her place.

* * *

"Lily's only been away from the piano to eat, sleep, and do her homework," Kate noted. "And even to eat, she required some coaxing. She must have really missed it when she was staying with the Espositos."

"I get it," Castle said. "It would be like someone took away my laptop and I had to write with a pen that was constantly skipping. She just couldn't get the same satisfaction out of her keyboard. But you have to admit the music sounds wonderful. Her matching sky and sea sonatas can transport you to another realm. Elliott has her working on other pieces, but he says those may be her composition submissions to Juilliard. The two of them will decide, when the time comes. She'll have to have her choices in by the middle of March, to qualify to be put through her other paces."

"Like what?" Kate asked.

"They'll test how well she can distinguish notes by ear. She'll have to be able sing a tune by sight reading it. She has to demonstrate she can handle piano as a minor too. I don't know what else. Elliott is taking her through as much as he can, but he doesn't feel she'll have any trouble with it. You know," Castle added, "if they do take her, she'll have to give up Elliott as her teacher. The students in pre-college don't take outside classes. I suppose that avoids conflicts in technique, and Juilliard prides itself on having the best."

"Still, it will be a blow," Kate mused. "She's become pretty attached."

"I don't know how she'd fit him in anyway. She'd be having classes all day Saturday, except for the summer. With school the rest of the week, she can use some time to breathe. Maybe they can still stay in touch. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. I remember when Alexis had her life all planned out at Stanford. She picked her classes. She even bought t-shirts. Then it never happened. But Columbia worked out for the best - if you don't count the whole kidnapping by Russians thing."

"That probably would have happened no matter where she went," Kate pointed out. "Volkov went to a hell of a lot of trouble to get to your father."

"You're right," Castle agreed. "When people carry that much hate around, they don't let much get in their way."

* * *

George Farquardt sat by the bed of his mother, Rose. She didn't have much time left. The doctors could do nothing more except offer palliative care. It was ironic, really. Now everything was being done to make her comfortable in her last hours. If only it had been that way while he was growing up. His father was abusive. There were no other words for it, except unprintable ones. Rose had tried so hard to make a good home for her husband, for George, and for Daffodil. But nothing she did was ever good enough. If she had dinner on the table two minutes late, he would rail at her for days or weeks. And if she burned something, he'd never forget that. His mother took the brunt of Gerald's venom, but she wasn't his only victim. Nothing anyone did was ever good enough. He was still like that. No wonder Daffodil was staying away, even if she was paying for an aide. She could feel duty without feeling love. He felt neither. What he wanted was vengeance, for himself, for Daffodil, but mostly for his mother. And he knew how to get it.

* * *

Bertha surveyed the array of pill bottles holding the medications for Farky. The assortment seemed to grow every time she was assigned to him. At least he had an excuse for being cranky this time. With his latest infection, almost every solid thing he ate ran right through him. In response, his doctor had restricted him to liquids and jello, but Farky loved real food. It was one of the few things that did bring an occasional upturn, if a slight one, to his tightly drawn mouth.

At least there was something that could keep him distracted. He liked game shows, or more accurately, he liked feeling superior to the contestants. He would shout the answers at the screen, then describe the stupidity of the players if they failed to match his knowledge. Unfortunately, really good players infuriated him, especially if they knew answers he didn't. That had become more of problem lately, with questions about pop culture about which he had no clue. She'd chipped in with some of the other aides to buy recordings of shows from decades past. He knew all the answers and he was what passed for happy. She didn't know what would happen when she ran out of them. He would know if she tried to show them over. She hoped this would be a short assignment and it wouldn't be her problem. The trouble was, Farky didn't seem to be getting any better. If anything, he was getting worse. The doctor had prescribed a new round of antibiotics. She hoped it would do the trick.

* * *

Having a job as a tech at the pharmacy that filled his father's prescriptions was anything but convenient. It took George two subway trains and a bus to get there, an hour and a half commute each way. His day would have been a lot shorter working in his own neighborhood. But it was worth it, it was so worth it. At the heavy traffic hours, especially at lunchtimes, the pharmacist was deluged with work and too busy to see George switch the pills in prescriptions that had already been checked. He was subtle, but he could tell from the additional orders that were called in for the old bastard, that he was having an effect. He almost wished he could be there to see it. Daffodil got reports of Gerald's status. They'd be having dinner in a couple of days. He could get her to tell him what she heard.


	104. Chapter 104

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 104

Gerald Farquardt had completely kicked the covers off his bed and was trembling with anger beneath the sheet. "Sonofabitch Jensen," he hissed as Bertha attempted to restore the bed to order. "Thought he was so smart!"

"He did win a lot of money, Mr. Farquardt," Bertha soothed. "He was famous for it. He wrote a book and everything. Then that guy kidnapped him to use his brain."

"Brain my ass! He doesn't know what a brain is." Farky pointed at a trunk in the corner of the bedroom. "Look in there!"

Bertha went to the scuffed footlocker and lifted the lid. Her eyes widened at the assortment of jewelry, watches, small appliances, and old boxes of Rice-A-Roni. "Won them all!" Farky cackled. "Not much money in game shows in my day, but plenty of loot. Had to sell the bigger pieces to give those thieves at the IRS their pound of flesh, but I still have those."

Bertha cast an appraising eye at a diamond and ruby necklace. She wasn't sure if it was real or just costume jewelry. Some of those watches might be worth something too. Wernie would know. The old man would be dead to the world when she gave him his sleeping pill. She could get her brother in to see if there was anything worth fencing. No one deserved to be ripped off more than Farky. She knew better than to talk to Wernie about it on her cell, but she could go by his apartment when she was off work.

* * *

Kate arched and stretched with a sleepy smile. Castle brushed her lips with his own. "Good morning. You look pleased."

"Mm. I am. We don't have to take Lilly or the twins anywhere. I have no meetings scheduled. Other than feeding ourselves and the kids, we can just relax. I can even read the style section of the Sunday Ledger. I haven't had time to look at it in over a month."

"Something special coming up you'll be needing the perfect stylish frock to attend?" Castle asked.

"Happily, nothing I can think of," Kate admitted. "But they'll be starting to show the stuff for summer anyway, and it will be great just to picture what I would wear in the sun."

Castle nibbled playfully at her neck. "It's more fun for me to picture what you won't wear in the sun. Oh! Do I hear the thunder of rapidly growing feet on their way to seek out and raid the stores of dry cereal?"

"I believe you do. And you know what that means?" Kate purred, nipping as his earlobe. "The only people we'll have to worry about feeding for a while, are ourselves."

"I could whip us up a couple of spicy omelets," Castle suggested, "unless you have something else in mind."

Kate slipped a hand into the gap between the buttons of his pajamas. "I'm definitely thinking spicy, but just in case, I think we'd better lock the door."

Castle sat up and kissed Kate's wandering fingers before bounding out of bed. "An excellent idea." After quickly flipping the latch, Castle slipped back between the sheets. "Now where were we?" He pushed up her top and rounded a dark brown bud with his tongue. "Just about here."

Kate pulled at the buttons of his pajamas. "Tat for tit."

Their lips pressed in heated collision, as fingers shoved fabric aside. Castle rolled to his back, bringing Kate above him. He moaned as she rubbed against the firm flesh growing beneath her. His hands found the still shapely globes that crowned her thighs, cupping the curve of them to bring her even tighter against his groin. Her hips ground, in mounting urgency. Babe, I need..."

His words rasped with his own arousal. "I know." He thrust a hand between them, rubbing the greedy nub that hardened at his touch.

Kate gyrated wildly, her breath coming in gasps. She felt a maw gaping within, pleading to be filled. He jerked as she stroked him, guiding him to her waiting sheath. He was in with one thrust, and rolled her beneath him again, supporting himself on his arms while she rose again and again to meet him. The floor creaked beneath the bed as they battled for completion. For an instant, Castle was held motionless as Kate contracted around him. Caught in the onslaught as the explosion overcame any control remaining to her, he reached his own release.

Lily knocked softly on her parents' door. She had heard the sounds of them playing in bed and knew it would be mean and also gross to bother them unless there was an emergency. But they were quiet now. After a moment, Daddy opened the door, wrapped in his Darth Vader robe. "Something wrong, Sweetheart?"

"Reese got the paper so he could see the funnies, and I looked at the news. There's something there about Ms. Krotz, the lady who took care of you and Jake and Reese when you were sick. She's in trouble, Daddy."

Castle looked back at Kate, who nodded. "Mama and I will be out to look at it in just a minute."

* * *

The article on the front page of the Ledger showed a mug shot of Bertha Krotz, saying that she was being charged in the murder of a Gerald Farquardt. Details were sketchy, but the robbery unit was also involved. "I can't believe Bertha is a murderer," Castle exclaimed. "She was so good with the twins and she put up with me. She was just so - nice."

"Come on, Castle," Kate admonished, "you know as well as I do that anyone can be a killer given the right circumstances. If she was charged, the cops must have some pretty convincing evidence."

"Like the evidence they had against me or you? Kate, we've both been accused of murders we didn't commit, but we had the resources to fight. Bertha may not. We should look into this, at least see if she has a decent lawyer. We still have contacts. Hell, I could probably get the story keeping my ears open at the Old Haunt. And I can have Alexis run some background too."

"There's no way you're going to let this go, is there?" Kate asked.

"You know there isn't." Castle confirmed. "I think as the ever hospitable proprietor, I'll make the rounds at the Old Haunt tonight - if you've got the kids."

"Fine," Kate agreed. "You go and reprise your role as Richard Castle P.I.. I'll catch up on Temptation Lane. But you're making carbonara before you leave."

Castle planted a kiss on the top of her head. "For you, my love, I will not only make carbonara, I will go to Ficelli's for cannoli. They're sensational. They make their own ricotta."

"Leave it to you to come up with something cheesy," Kate teased. "Alright, carbonara and cannoli, and when you get back, maybe a glass of that special reserve red wine."

"Cheesier than Temptation Lane? I doubt it. But it sounds like I may may be winning at both ends of the day," Castle grinned. "Can't fight that. So now that we have tonight's dinner settled, what would tickle your fancy for breakfast?"

Kate grinned back. "We can go still go with spicy omelets. But first coffee, lots of Castle's special coffee."

Castle gave a little bow. "Your wish is my very great pleasure."


	105. Chapter 105

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 105

Sundays were not a boom night for business at the Old Haunt. Every night was profitable, having become, at least in part, a cop bar when Castle assumed ownership, but it tended to jam up more after change of shift on weekdays. On Sundays there were more of the younger cops who lacked the seniority to avoid working weekends. The atmosphere was still lively. What the more junior boys in blue lacked in experience, they made up for in enthusiasm. After a few beers, that enthusiasm flowed freely through their mouths.

As a writer, Castle had always been an attentive listener. Beckett would have suggested eavesdropper as a more accurate term. As a genial host, he greeted the patrons at every table and even helped behind the bar, ever but subtly alert for any mention of Bertha Krotz. He was rewarded for his efforts by a stream of conversation from occupants of several of the high stools. The death of Gerald Farquardt had initially been regarded as an old man succumbing to an infection, after a turn for the worse necessitated his transport to a hospital. An autopsy had been performed as part of the mortality and morbidity program. A drug that one of the cops remembered as a glucocorticoid had been found in his system. That immediately raised red flags, because it would encourage the growth of an infection rather than kill it.

Homicide had launched an investigation and since she had been administering Farquardt's medictions, immediately tagged Bertha as a person of interest. When they investigated further, they found that Bertha's brother Werner had been picked up a couple of times for attempting to fence stolen goods. That led to having CSU go over Farquardt's apartment, where they found not only glucocorticoids but Werner's fingerprints. As far as homicide was concerned, the case was cut and dried. Bertha made Farquardt so ill that her brother could rob him, and Farquardt died.

* * *

"It just doesn't make sense," Castle complained to Kate over his second espresso. "If Bertha wanted her brother to rob Farquardt, she could have just given him a sleeping pill, she wouldn't have had to kill him. And the fact that her brother's prints were found in the apartment proves nothing. He could have just been visiting his sister. Farquardt had no money. What would Werner steal? All the cops found was a trunk of old junk. If robbery was a motive, Bertha could have robbed us. She didn't. There's more going on. I can feel it."

"Feeling it is one thing, proving it is another," Kate reminded him. "For any kind of defense, a lawyer would have to at least present an alternate theory of how the crime took place. Do you have one?"

"No," Castle admitted. "I have nothing, but I haven't really tried yet. Usually it's the spouse right? I need to look at the wife. I'll have Alexis check her out."

"It's a good place to start, Babe," Kate agreed. "But don't get your hopes up. Usually when all the evidence points to someone, they did it, no matter how good they are at fluffing pillows and making chicken soup. But listen, I really hate to leave you in the middle of a mystery, but I need to get back to Albany. We have half a dozen votes coming up and if the bills don't pass, there will be some good programs with no funding. But if you want to bounce some ideas off of me, call. As long as I'm not actually in the Senate chamber I can help you build any theory that makes sense. I hate to see someone the kids liked convicted of murder too. The boys actually think it's kind of cool that they had a potential murderer in the house, but Lily is upset. Even without this, she has enough to cope with."

Castle leaned across the table for a kiss. "Thanks, for Lily and for me."

* * *

Kate was frustrated. Regents scholarships had in no way kept pace with the needs of students. Her committee had proposed a modest program to aid college bound kids from families impacted by environmental disasters like the the flooding out of their homes. The bill had landed in the Senate with a thunk. Even members of her own party gave it a thumbs down. She understood budgets. She couldn't understand tax giveaways to manufacturers who could easily manage without them, yet pinching pennies on teens who were both needy and deserving.

She would have loved to climb into Johanna and return to the city, but there were more votes coming. There was at least a chance she could do something useful with one or two of them. It was some comfort that a lunch break had been declared, giving her a chance to Facetime with Castle. If anyone could understand the needs of kids for a decent education, he could.

Rick listened sympathetically, while thumbing through his mental Rolodex for whom he could contact to publicly shame the senators who had denied the students. It would not be hard to get a half a dozen bloggers on board, not to mention his Twitter followers. But he had other matters to broach as soon as Kate finished venting.

"So Castle, what's happening at your end?" Kate wondered, when the explosion of her head had subsided.

"Alexis researched Farquardt's wife," Rick reported. "She's dying, Kate. She's in hospice care. There's no way she could have killed anyone. But he had a daughter and a son. Alexis is checking on them now. Bertha has a public defender, but he's not one of the hacks. The guy is kind of like the character Caleb Brown pretended to be: very aggressive in defending his clients. You might know him, Stromwell Macy."

"Oh Mace, yeah. We've crossed paths at a couple of Bar Association functions. Interesting guy. Real crusader. He's a trust fund baby. He went into the law because he actually wanted to make a difference. From what I heard, the cops don't like him much. He's too good at getting his clients off."

"That's what I heard too. He wouldn't be a real popular guy at the Old Haunt. If Alexis comes up with something usable, I'm going to try to schedule a meeting with him."

"Sounds like a plan." A horn sounded in the background. "Damn, the vote is starting. I have to get back. Wish me luck."

Rick kissed his fingertips and touched them to her face on the screen. "Always."

* * *

Stromwell (Mace) Macy studied Bertha Krotz's file. It was not encouraging. "One of the items her brother had attempted to fence came from a household where she had been an aide. It had been a small time theft, only worth a couple of hundred dollars, so very little effort had been put into the investigation. In the light of the murder, the incident had taken on an entirely different light. Whether Bertha was a murderer or not, she had clearly been her brother's accomplice. That would not look good to a jury at all. His instinct was to urge Bertha to take a plea, but she had protested her innocence so vociferously that he believed her. Maybe he was being a dupe, but he did. He needed to look for another suspect, but his budget for the case was miniscule. Even if he wanted to kick in some funds of his own, he just didn't have time. He was juggling too many other cases. He wasn't sure how much he could do. Bertha could certainly use a white knight.


	106. Chapter 106

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 106

"Alexis' voice flowed urgently through the speaker of Castle's cell. "Dad, I've got something. George Farquardt, Gerald's son, is a pharmacy tech."

"Wow!" Castle exclaimed.

"There's more," Alexis continued. "He works at the pharmacy where his father's prescriptions were filled. He could have switched out the pills."

"So we have means and opportunity, but what's the motive?" Castle queried.

"I don't know Dad, but he's been spending a lot of time with his mother, Rose. That might have something to do with it."

"How about the daughter, Daffodil?" Castle questioned.

"She and her father were estranged. But she's kind of a loner, a freelance programmer, works from her apartment. She wasn't seeing Rose. She doesn't go much of anywhere, but she was picking up the tab for Bertha, and she did exchange some phone calls with George."

"Did either of them have medical power of attorney?" Castle inquired.

"Not from what I've been able to find out," Alexis related, "Gerald was kind of stubborn know-it-all, didn't believe anyone could out-think him. Decades ago he was some kind of a game show champion, but it was after the quiz show scandal, so he couldn't win any big money. He was a low level engineer at Ripco. They digitized their records archive so I was able to hack into his personnel file. He was good at the technical part of his job but was consistently passed over for promotions. He didn't play well with others."

"That could have included his family," Castle mused. "Any records of physical abuse?"

"There were no public mentions, but Dad, with the laws about privacy, those would be hidden behind some pretty tough firewalls. I couldn't hack into them even if I wanted to, and that's not a place I want to go."

"I get it," Castle acknowledged, "but there might be another way. Thanks, Pumpkin. Give Bernard a hug for me."

"I will Dad. Good luck."

"Just so that I have this straight, Mr. Castle, you've been running your own investigation. You think Bertha Krotz is innocent and that Gerald's son switched out his pills," Stromwell Macy reiterated. "Your wife was a homicide cop. What does she think about this?"

"She thinks I have a lot of speculation and zero proof," Castle admitted. "But I think that's where you can help me. You have subpoena power. I think Gerald Fraquardt may have been abusive to his wife and possibly to his son and daughter too. But I'd need medical records, at least from Rose Farquardt, to prove it."

Mace shook his head. "I wish I could do that, Mr. Castle, but I can't subpoena those records on a hunch. Your theory is plausible, but your wife is right. It's not enough. If you could find me a witness, or some evidence that George had tried to harm his father before, I'd love to revisit this, but right now we're still dead in the water."

"Then I'll get us an oar," Castle declared."

Kate was astounded when Ackley Mertaw appeared in the door way of her office. "Kate, I wanted to talk to you about the Student's Disaster Relief Bill."

"What about it?" Kate asked, not quite able to keep bitterness from edging her voice. "You voted against it. It went down."

"Kate, I voted against it because I knew it was going down. You didn't have the votes and only a nay could request re-consideration. I think with the social media campaign that's been waged, that might be possible. My office has been getting a lot of calls. The news services have picked it up too. Your husband did a good job."

"What do you mean?" Kate queried.

"From what my office has heard, he was the one who put out the word to his followers and it just grew from there. Some of the calls and emails are referring to it as the Richard Castle issue."

Kate wasn't sure whether she was going to kiss Rick when she got home, or dress him down for not mentioning what he was doing. Given the lament she'd poured out on him, she was edging more toward the kissing part. She couldn't really have expected him to just listen and do nothing. That had never been his nature, but given how invested he'd been in Bertha's problems, she was a little surprised he'd found time to deal with hers. It was definitely kissing, but it would have to wait. If the bill was going to be reconsidered, she'd have to make the rounds to drum up as much support as she could.

Kevin Ryan sat in his car on the outskirts of the parking lot of the Your Aid pharmacy. He wasn't sure how to conduct surveillance on George Farquardt. The man had arrived by subway, so he couldn't use his car to follow him. At most he might be able to pop into the pharmacy once or twice, to check on what George was doing, but he had no idea how that would help. If nothing else, he could pick up some snacks. Jenny had been limiting the supply at home and most pharmacies carried almost as much junk food as supermarkets did. Maybe inspiration would strike with a carbohydrate buzz.

Kevin noticed the monitors as soon as he walked through the slowly sliding automatic door. The place had enough cameras to shoot a major movie. He'd done enough security work to know it made sense. There were thousands of items that could easily be slipped into a pocket or a purse. The shrinkage could be crippling to a store if they had no way to control it. He wondered if the pharmacy area was monitored as well. If it was, maybe there had been some surveillance that would reveal what George had done. He made his way to prescription pick-up and drop off in the back of the store. There were no cameras that he could see, on the staff, but he did see a lot of counting out of pills. If George had switched them, the inventory would have to be off. How he could check on that would be another matter, but he could brainstorm it with Alexis.

Castle didn't enjoy reading obituaries, but it had become a habit, ever since Stephen Cannell had died. As he became older, more people he knew or admired, like Wes Craven, died. His mind also formulated plots as he read the tiny articles. If it said someone died of a sudden illness, did they really, or were they poisoned? Was there suddenly a rich heir? Among the names of the deceased and announcements of loved ones left behind, one jumped out at him: Rose Farquardt, wife of the late Gerald and mother of Daffodil and George. So Rose had passed on too. No doubt sad for her children, but perhaps there was something positive about it. He would have to check with Kate, but he was pretty sure that the right to medical privacy erodes at death. If he was right, then it should be possible to access Rose Farquardt's records. If the signs of abuse were there, it wouldn't prove Gerald had anything to do with his father's death, but it would certainly lend more credence to his theory. Maybe this time there would be something Stromwell Macy could do.

A/N Guest, in NYC the meaning of a technical high school is not what you imagine. There are three, very highly rated academic public high schools, Stuyvesant, The Bronx High School of Science, and Brooklyn Tech. It is canon that Kate went to Stuyvesant. She would have been required to take a curriculum heavy on science and math. Vocational schools are something different.


	107. Chapter 107

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 107

Alexis worked carefully to build her new undercover identity. New York State didn't require certification or licensing of its pharmacy techs, although it was available for the higher paid ones. If she crafted her history well, she could get a job as a Your Aid trainee. Ryan said that signs that the pharmacy was hiring were prominently posted. They needed the help. The starting pay was only minimum wage, which was probably why they were having trouble hiring. But it was good for her. She gave herself reasonable grades in high school and a year of community college. Then she added a string of service jobs, also low paying, but demonstrating ability to deal with the public. That should do it. She could apply on the web, but doing so in person would allow her to appraise the set-up. She could also turn on the charm Hayley had so aptly schooled her to use. Jenny had agreed to take Bernard when he wasn't in preschool, so she wouldn't have to worry about rushing back to him.

Twila Caldwell, the day shift pharmacist at Your Aid, was harried to say the least. She would have loved to have another pharmacist join her on shift, but the store's budget guidelines didn't allow for it. The idea was to pump out as much work as cheaply as possible, so it was just her and her techs. She had to get them cheap, too. She looked for the brightest trainees she could find. Lexi Kasparov seemed to fit the bill. There was a light in her eyes that said teachable. She just hoped she'd have the opportunity to do it. The red head had arrived early for her shift, eager, she'd explained, to get the lay of the land. Every order that Twila checked was correct. That was a good start.

* * *

There was one thing that niggled at Castle. Why would Bertha be an accomplice to her brother's thievery? He would have liked to visit her at Rikers and ask, but all the prisoner's conversations with visitors, except for those with attorneys and clergy, were recorded. If Bertha answered his question she would be making an incriminating statement that might be used against her in court. He toyed with the idea of bailing her out, but as Kate had reminded him more than once, the chance remained that Bertha was guilty of much more than collaborating in petty theft. He didn't think his instincts about the aide were wrong, but he had been fooled before. If Bertha was a murderer, he wasn't about to loose her on the streets.

If he couldn't ask Bertha, he could look into Werner's background. The clue might lie there. He would have had Alexis do it, but she was pursuing a more important aspect of the case. Now he had two reasons he needed to call Stromwell Macy. One would be to find out if the defender had managed to get Rose Farquardt's medical records, the other one would be to check out Werner's file. It was pertinent enough to Bertha's case that Mace would have to have demanded it on discovery.

* * *

Alexis couldn't have had much better luck. George Farquardt had been assigned to answer any questions she had that didn't require input from Twila. George was friendly enough, telling Lexi that she reminded him a little of his sister, with her speed at learning the computer system. He knew where everything was kept, and was willing get down the lesser used items stored on high shelves. But there was an air of nervousness about him that Alexis had seen in her work over the years. Friendly as he was, he was hiding something.

As the most junior member of the back room staff, Lexi would be expected to do the scut work. That would include helping with the inventories that were scheduled at regular intervals. Alexis' luck was holding. There was one scheduled in a couple of days. If the count was off on glucocorticoids, that would be her chance to find out."

* * *

Kate was jazzed. Another vote had been scheduled for the Student's Disaster Relief Bill and by Ackley's count and her own, she had the votes this time. She had just enough time to Facetime with Castle before the horn would sound.

Castle was more than halfway through the file Mace had emailed to him, when Kate reached him. He couldn't stop smiling as her face appeared on the screen. "Babe, I think we're getting somewhere with the bill this time. We'll be voting soon," Kate announced.

"That's great! I'll be crossing my fingers for you and for the students. I think I'm finally getting somewhere with Bertha's case too," Castle replied.

"What have you found out?" Kate questioned.

"First about Rose Farquardt. Mace came through with her medical records. She had two radial fractures, both of which had healed on their own."

"You get those when some one grabs and twists your arm. Classic signs of abuse," Kate noted.

"Exactly!" Castle exclaimed "Motive for a loving son to want to exact revenge. But Mace also passed on the information he received on Werner Krotz. Big brother's record goes back to his juvie days. His father died and from what I can make out, the mother didn't have whatever it took to provide for him and Bertha, because he started out stealing food. He was caught shoplifting at supermarkets. Then he must have learned a thing or two. He graduated to electronics, anything that would be an easy sale. He was always protective of his sister. He beat up a couple of guys who tried to attack her."

"That would forge a pretty strong bond between the two of them," Kate offered.

"That's what I was thinking," Castle agreed. "That would explain why she'd go along with his extracurricular activities."

"So why didn't he rob us? You gave her a security code, right?"

"Maybe he was just continuing to be the protective older brother," Castle speculated. "He robbed people he felt mistreated or abused her. Farquardt was a thoroughgoing sonofabitch. Perhaps Bertha did bring Werner in to case the place, but he just didn't find anything worth stealing."

"That doesn't say much for Bertha," Kate noted.

"No it doesn't," Castle conceded. "But it doesn't make her a murderer. In fact, it argues against it. If she wanted to kill him, why invite her brother in to steal?"

"If I were the prosecutor, I'd spin it the other way, Castle," Kate objected, as gently as she could. "I'd say she was angry that her brother couldn't make a haul, so she killed Farquardt. A jury could easily buy that."

"You're right, they could," Castle admitted. "But the hole in the case is the glucocorticoids. There were none prescribed for Gerald or any of Bertha's other patients. How would she have gotten her hands on them? Not exactly a shopliftable item. Alexis is undercover working with George Farquardt now. Maybe she'll help fill that hole. If nothing else, she's enjoying being back in the field. She's been behind her computer since Bernard was born. I think she misses the excitement."

"She's your daughter, Babe," Kate laughed. "Between inheriting your insatiable curiosity and Martha's acting genes, she was bound to want to immerse herself in the more dramatic aspects of the P.I. role again, sooner or later."

Castle nodded at the screen. "Very true."


	108. Chapter 108

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 108

From the glow on Kate's face as it filled the screen of his phone, Castle was pretty sure what her answer would be, but he asked anyway. "Did the bill pass?"

"It did. A bunch of senators are going out to celebrate, but I thought I'd skip the alcohol so I can fly home."

"Outstanding! When are you coming?"

"As soon as I can get to the airfield. We'll have a few days before the next session, to debrief each other."

"You know I'm a boxers guy, and when did you start wearing briefs?" Castle teased.

"Babe, that's not fair. I'll be home not too long after the kids are. It will be hours before we'll get to do anything involving boxers, briefs, or the lack thereof."

"Just makes the wait more exciting," Castle responded. "Anyway since you're missing your celebratory drink there, I'll make sure I have something intriguing for us to toast with here."

"Looking forward to it. See you soon," Kate promised.

* * *

George Farquardt was nervous. He'd hoped to be assigned to the part of the inventory that included the pills he'd switched out in his father's prescriptions. Instead Twila had given that task to her new protegé, Lexi. He would still be supervising the trainee, so he'd most likely have a chance to correct what went in the record, but his stomach still longed for an anti-acid. He actually liked Lexi. She was attentive and respectful, but at that moment, she was also dangerous.

The inventory was largely managed by computer, with many drugs being automatically dispensed, even though the law still required they be checked by a pharmacist. After a couple of glitches had resulted in almost fatal shortages, Your Aid had imposed a policy of a double check by actual human beings. That's where his problem would come in. There would be an overage on some pills he had returned and a shortage on others. The amounts would not be large, but questions would be raised. In the end, the onus would fall on Twila, because as pharmacist she was ultimately responsible, but shit always rolls downhill. She would check on which tech could have been involved in an error, and things could point to him. He would have to prevent that from happening.

Alexis had memorized a list of Gerald Farquardt's prescriptions. She was looking for an overage in the drugs in one of them, that would correspond with a shortage in one of the glucocorticoids. Counting all the other pills was tedious, but she had to remain upbeat to maintain her cover. The smile on her face came not from her job, but from Bernard's antics with Sergei the evening before. Bernard had already picked up a few words of Russian from spending time with Tim and Sarah, so Sergei thought he might teach him a few letters in the Cyrillic alphabet. He immediately ran into problems with Russian letters that looked like consonants of the English alphabet, but sounded like other letters, like an "N" sound looking like an "H" or an "er" sound looking like a "P". Bernard had insisted on running an alphabet video to prove his point and dancing and singing along as the letters were pronounced. There was no doubt that her son had inherited the Castle stubbornness. He also had some of the skepticism with which she had often held her dad's opinion while growing up, especially in her teen years. Bernard was coming to it much earlier. She had heard there was a parents curse about having children just like you, although her dad had never proclaimed it. She was sure that it was more a matter of genetics and environment than anything supernatural, but it seemed to have descended nevertheless. On the other hand, if Bernard decided to follow in the footsteps of both his namesake and his father, a healthy skepticism would be an asset. In any case, she and Sergei would find out eventually.

Alexis started on another container, one containing one type of the pills Gerald had been prescribed. She made her count the required two times, and then checked a third. There were too many pills. She entered the discrepancy on her Your Aid issued tablet and made a mental note. It was just the type of evidence she had been searching for. George looked over her shoulder. He had been stupid to return the pills to the container. He should have just gotten rid of them. "Problem?"

"An overage," Alexis reported with what she hoped was a perkiness. "But that's better than a shortage, right? Nobody's been stealing anything. If someone didn't get enough pills, all they'd have to do is refill their prescription. No one would get hurt."

"Right you are," George agreed, hoping desperately that she wouldn't discover a shortage in the glucocorticoids. She wasn't the fastest counter in the world. With any luck, she'd be at lunch or off shift before she made it that far. Unfortunately for George, Lexi was a lot faster than he had imagined. He saw her reach for the fatal container. "Hey, you've been working really hard at this. Why don't you take an early break?" he suggested. "I can do the count."

Alexis realized the smoking gun was in her hand. "Thanks George," she grinned, "but it's my sweetie's birthday. He and I made a promise to talk at my regular break time. I don't want to disappoint him. I can wait."

The acid rose again in George's throat. Somehow he'd have to change the numbers later. "Of course. Can't break up a lover's rendezvous. Just trying to help. You go ahead."

* * *

As she came through the front door, Kate could hear Lily's piano. No surprise there. It would have been one if she hadn't. She'd kiss her daughter when she finished playing her piece. She went in search of Rick and the boys, finding them all in the same place. The three of them were in Castle's office. They were using Reese's image files and Jake's words to construct a digital comic on Castle's big screen. The results were nothing that would compete with the wares at Comicadia, but the art had a vibrancy along with a gross out factor. The story was full of guts and glory, but showed some semblance of a plot. The boys made faces as she kissed them in turn, then groaned as she locked lips with their father. "Good flight?" Castle inquired.

"It was fine, but I think I might have made it just in time. There was no storm predicted for tonight, but I think Radar Savvy might have slipped up on this one. I saw some thunderheads coming in. I think the city may be in for a drenching."

"Which will make it a perfect night to sit by the fire with a nice Cabernet, and make sure we stay warm."

"Dad," Reese complained, "we're ready for the next page."

"And it isn't cold," Jake added.

"Right, the heat of battle," Castle agreed. "We must finish your saga."

The music had stopped. "I'll just go say hello to Lily, then." Kate said. "And do I smell lasagna?"

"Just meat sauce," Castle corrected. "I can drop some pasta when everyone is ready, but if you want to work on a salad..."

"Not the most subtle of hints, Castle. But I can attack the helpless greens as soon as I've greeted my daughter."

Kate found Lily staring at her music with her face screwed tightly in frustration. Kate kissed her daughter's soft hair. "Something wrong, Sweetheart?"

"I'm trying to get a rhythmic line that sounds like Johanna," Lily explained, "But it just isn't coming out right. It's like something is missing."

"Would another ride help?" Kate queried.

Lily threw her arms around her mother's neck. "It would Mama, it really would."

"Fine," Kate decided. "You don't have school or lessons on Sunday and I don't have any work to do. We can go up then; a flight of the Castle women."

Lily kissed Kate's cheek. "That will be sepshi."

The current piece of preteen slang was new to Kate, but it was obvious her daughter was pleased.


	109. Chapter 109

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 109

Alexis fixed her expression as troubled but stoic before entering Your Aid for the beginning of her shift. The day before, she had used the privacy of a booth in the ladies room to capture the images of her inventory tally on her phone. Continuing her break in the small eating area allotted to employees, she made a show of barely held back tears during a phone conversation, setting up for the performance she'd give that day.

The pharmacy was sparsely populated, as was typical of mornings. Traffic tended to pick up on lunch hours and when people got out of work. Alexis grabbed the blue lab coat trainees wore, checked in with Twila and George, and continued with her assignment. Taking advantage of the dearth of customers, she would be taking inventory in a shopping aisle. She'd been assigned to feminine hygiene, which also included some sexual aids. She worked hard to keep the morose expression on her face as she examined the bottles with the suggestive shapes. Not that she and Sergei needed any of them, but the industry was always trying to come up with new products that promised a resurgence of passion and pleasure. She wasn't sure, but she thought she remembered seeing one of the items she was counting, under the sink in Dad and Kate's bathroom when she was searching for an extra roll of toilet paper. She loved her father and wanted him to be happy and she'd come to love Kate too, but the mental image of their intimate playtime still gave her an involuntary shudder. She imagined that someday Bernard would feel that way about her and Sergei. She shuddered again and rushed to move on to other items.

* * *

Kate took a sip of her mid-morning latte as Castle absently stirred his darker brew. "What's sepshi?" she asked.

"I thought the croissants we had this morning were pretty outstanding," Castle replied.

Kate rolled her eyes. "I mean the term sepshi, Castle. Lily used it yesterday, I gather it means something good."

"Uh huh. I had to check the Urban Dictionary about that one myself, the first time I heard it. It's short for exceptional. It's very good. What were you and Lily talking about?"

"She was having a problem with her music. She wanted to use some rhythmic vibe from my plane and she didn't think she had it down."

"Oh right," Castle nodded. "She said she wanted to rewrite one of the movements in her sky sonata. I don't understand why. I think it's wonderful and she's getting pretty close to the wire, but she seems to feel there's still room for improvement. She is becoming quite a perfectionist. I'm not sure how healthy that is at her age, but she is trying to get into Juilliard. It's not like we can tell her to chill out, or whatever the words would be for that in her age group these days. So what was so 'sepshi?'"

"Lily and I are going flying this Sunday so she can get a better feel for the sound."

"Kind of a girls' day up?" Castle quipped.

"Yeah," Kate agreed. "You and the boys are having a great time together and while I have a chance, I want to spend some extra time with Lily. I know when I was her age I really treasured the time my mom spent with me. I might have treasured it even more if I'd known there'd be so little of it."

"I understand, but we will miss you," Castle declared. "There's a junior original hero/villain cosplay in Central Park on Sunday and I'll be taking the boys. Jake thought up the characters and Reese designed their costumes. We've all been working on them."

"Let me guess," Kate ventured, "Captain Splat and Gizzard Storm, hero and villain respectively."

"Right," Castle confirmed. "Jake is going to be Splat and Reese is Gizzard. He shaped paper maché around little balloons to make the stones, then painted them. They're quite - artistic."

The brackets widened at Kate's mouth. "I'm sure they are. And while the boys were immersed in their creative process, did you get any writing done?"

Castle snorted. "Please! I put their school hours to good use. Pending further revisions, I finished the second book of the Holy Snake Oil saga and started roughing out the third one. I have some truly reprehensible characters to be brought to their knees and even to salvation. They're a lot more interesting than the villains in my spy and crime novels used to be. The motivations are a lot more complex and so are the lengths they go to for self-justification. The heroes are more interesting too. Running around with a gun and pressing three hundred pounds won't do the job. They need investigatory skills and sometimes some real faith as well. I really understand now why I got bored with Derrick Storm. What I'm doing with these books has so much more depth, it pulls me in. A lot of the time I don't even want to procrastinate anymore. I don't even need a second cup of coffee to get started. The characters keep me awake."

"I thought I noticed your caffeine consumption falling off. I'm really happy for you Castle. I know you love to write, but it's been more of a love hate relationship. Though if you hadn't expended so much effort trying to put it off, we never would have ended up working together. But it's great to see you swept up in such a passion for what you're doing now."

Castle smiled and brushed her cheek. "It's my other passion."

* * *

Alexis wanted an audience. She waited until there were several employees in the eating area, including George, before she broke into tears, while in conversation on her cell phone. "Oh no! That's worse than we thought. Yes, of course I'll come. I don't care how long it takes,. I'll manage - somehow. I'm leaving right now." Pulling at the buttons of her lab coat, Alexis turned her damp face to George. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry.! My mother she's …. I have to go right now. I don't know... Tell Twila I'm sorry."

After quickly grabbing her purse and jacket from her locker, Alexis ran down the sidewalk from the pharmacy toward the subway. As soon as she was out of visual range she broke into a grin. No one, least of all George, would doubt that she left because of some family emergency. Her inventory tallies had been sent to Stromwell Macy, to provide evidence that George had tampered with Gerald Farquardt's prescriptions. Even if George had managed to change her count somehow, the time stamps would give him away. If necessary, she would also testify in court to the veracity of her records. If the public defender couldn't get Bertha off now, he wasn't worthy of his reputation. And she had a family emergency alright. The coming of Spring weather had brought a minor crime spree that had kept Sergei in the lab for double shifts. She'd barely seen him. She checked the time on her phone. If he wasn't out in the field, he should have his lunch break in just about an hour. That would give her plenty of time to go by Remy's and bring him a burger with extra pickles but no onions. It would definitely not be the day for onions.


	110. Chapter 110

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 110

"These may be the longest ten days in history," Castle remarked. "The judges at Juilliard loved the sky and sea sonatas but Lily is going crazy waiting for the results of her screening tests. It's not like they couldn't tell if she can perceive pitch or not. If some of the best ears in the world weren't enough, they have electronics too. They should have been able to give her a thumbs up or down right away."

"Sounds like Lily isn't the only one going crazy, Babe. You told me Lagi's given her a special project to help keep her busy, right? Sounds like you could use a little distraction too. What's happening with Bertha Krotz?"

"Mace finally convinced the D.A. that he could make a better case against George Farquardt than against Bertha. The charges against her were dropped and George was arrested," Castle related. "Now Mace is going to defend him too. I doubt he'll get him off, but the history of abuse in the family may provide some mitigation. Bertha's free but not exactly on easy street. With the taint of her conspiracy with her brother to rob clients, her work life as a health aide is over. Maria's given her a temporary job at FTC until she can get her life together. The weird thing is that Daffodil Farquardt has offered to work with her on learning some computer skills. I guess she feels responsible for the trouble George caused, and she's trying to make amends. That should give Bertha some kind of a start on a new future."

"I hope she makes it," Kate said. "And speaking of going places, I have to be in a session bright and early tomorrow morning so I thought I'd fly up to Albany late this afternoon, before dark. We have a few hours in between while the kids are gone, and we could both use a good laugh. Guess what's playing at the Angelika?"

"Battlefield Earth?" Castle guessed.

"No, they're going for intentionally funny. Galaxy Quest."

"You, my beautiful and charming wife, have a date."

* * *

The movie started at eleven-fifteen A.M.. For a weekday morning, a surprising number of seats in the picturesque art house were filled. Kate and Rick had indulged in overpriced slices of quiche in the cafe before finding a place to sit, so they'd decided to forgo the usual shared tub of popcorn. "Did you ever see the remake of Galaxy Quest?" Castle asked, as they waited for the lights to come down.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I caught that one afternoon between committee meetings in Albany. I don't know what those idiots were thinking when they cast the thing. The guy from _Heartbreak on the Mountain_? I think they chose him for his hair and his abs, not any talent at comedy. Half the audience in the showing I saw, walked out before the thing was over. They should have cast the lead from that old Joss Whedon show. He would have been terrific That was who the fans wanted. They even launched a campaign for him."

"Ah, but that's where the whole thing went wrong," Castle asserted. "The producers hate casting on the basis of fan campaigns. It's almost a point of pride with them not to. But they paid for their hubris. The thing was pulled after a week. It lost more than eighty million dollars. It did find a second life though. They had a great time heckling it on the third reboot of MST3K. A lot of people download it now because its rating on Rotten Tomatoes is so bad. They have contests at parties to see who can make the most snide remarks."

"Something tells me you toyed with the idea of having a gathering like that at our house."

"I did," Castle admitted, "but little pitchers have big ears. I decided discretion was the better part of valor." The theater darkened. "Okay, here we go with the good one."

* * *

"You look wistful," Castle noticed as he and Kate strolled through the Soho neighborhood on their way from from the theater to the subway. "Do you miss our old stomping grounds?"

"Sometimes," Kate admitted. Our house - houses - are beautiful, but there's a pace down here that's different. It's like everyone is always on the alert for the next new thing around the corner. It can be exhilarating."

"You're going to climb into Johanna in a couple of hours. No more exhilaration there?"

"Of course there is, Castle. I just... I don't know."

"I've seen this before Kate, before you decided to go for captain, when you ran for Public Advocate, when you ran for State Senate. You're looking for a new mountain to climb and bigger dragons to slay."

"Maybe. I got a call from Chuck Shumberg."

"He's the second highest ranking guy in the party, isn't he?" Castle questioned.

"Uh huh. He wanted to feel me out about being in the United States Senate."

"That would mean the election six months from now.

"Not exactly, Castle. You know Kristy Gilman is likely to be the next Attorney General. He doesn't want to take a chance on losing her seat once the governor puts someone in to fill it, and there are a lot of votes upstate for the other party. They both want someone with a lot of name recognition, so they won't have to spend a lot of resources introducing them to New York voters."

"And with the number of votes from the city, and your popularity here, you would give the party a good shot at holding onto the reins of power," Castle concluded.

"Exactly. He's already started a PAC to support whomever gets the nod from the governor, but he thinks I might have the best chance."

"Is that what you really want to do, Kate?" Castle queried. "You'd be on a much bigger stage and under constant scrutiny, a lot more than you are now. You've never liked publicity. Are you sure you're ready to handle that much more of it? And what about the schedule? How many more days would you be away from home?"

"I wouldn't be in D.C. that many more days than I am in Albany now. Most of the summer is off and there are a lot of other recesses. I would be working more back here, if I want to get anything done for my constituents. There would also be more global travel. But I wouldn't have the seniority to be on as many to start, I'd essentially be a temp. I think you and the kids would see about as much of me as you do now, just at different times."

"You've thought this through, haven't you?"

"Not all the way, Castle. I haven't decided anything yet. I want to see how things work out for Lily. I want to find out more about life in D.C. too. I only worked there for a few months and I never even unpacked everything in my apartment. And things have also changed a lot since then."

"The understatement of the century," Castle remarked. "So when do you have to decide?"

"Drop dead for letting Shumberg know is Memorial Day. That gives us about two months to decide."

"Us?" Castle queried.

"Us Castle," Kate repeated, "you, me, Lily, Reese, and Jake. The decision is going to affect our whole family - a lot - and everyone is going to have to be in."

Castle drew her against his side as they approached the subway entrance. "I can live with that."

A/N Guest, we're in Spring of 2028 now. By my reckoning, the boys are 7, Lily is about to turn 10 and coincidentally Easter will again coincide with her birthday. This works because Juilliard pre-college has taken kids as young as seven. Bernard should be starting regular school in the fall.


	111. Chapter 111

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 111

"Lily got in," Castle announced as soon as Kate answered her cell. "She'll be starting in the Fall."

"That's great," Kate said. "So you're going ahead with plans for a celebration?"

"Lily asked me not to make a big thing of it right now. With her birthday coming on Easter in a few weeks, she thought she'd rather have everything together. Kind of a new beginnings thing. She's even writing some music on that theme. But I thought we could just do a little family get together when you get home. You know how close Lily is to your father, and Mother regards this as a coup too, continuing the performing arts in the family. Alexis is also really proud of her sister. She'll want in. So nothing formal. I thought maybe we'd just all go out to a restaurant. We could try that new casual one that Maddy started for the vast majority of the population who can't afford Q3. There's a small room in the back for family gatherings. It even has a kid's menu."

"That sounds great, Castle. I'll be back Friday afternoon. Can you set it up for early evening?"

"That was what I figured on. Maddy already has the room penciled in for us. I can call and firm it up. You hear any more from Shumberg?"

Kate's chest tightened. "Nothing's changed with him or Kristin Gilman, Castle. It's just that now we'll have to take Lily's Saturdays at Juilliard into account in our decision."

"Yes we will," Castle agreed. "And have you garnered any more information on D.C.?"

"Housing is still incredibly expensive and rare. If I get the seat, I'll have to have a room somewhere. But if we sell the Albany house, there's probably no reason to try to get one down there. It will be easier on everyone if I just fly home. There's a private airfield only half an hour from the Capitol. The actual flight time is only a little over forty minutes. That wouldn't be any worse than for a lot of people who commute to the city every day. Quite a few members of congress are pilots and they fly a lot further to get home than I'd have to. But the whole thing is moot for now."

"Ah, the lawyer word. Alright, we'll be on for Friday night." Castle kissed his finger and touched it to the screen, "Love you."

Kate blew a kiss back. "Love you too, Babe. Miss you."

* * *

The atmosphere at Q-4-All was relaxed but inviting. The servers wore jeans and brightly colored t-shirts with the "Q" logo. Restrooms were ample for both genders, with an added family accommodation, complete with a changing station. Offerings on the menu had never seen a rotary evaporator or a sous vide machine, but the meat was fresh and the produce sourced as locally as possible. Two tables had been pushed together in the back room to make one that would seat ten people. Lily was positioned at the head with her parents on each side, conveniently positioned to ride herd on the twins. Bernard sat between Alexis and Sergei, with Martha and Jim filling out the group.

The chicken tenders the staff had provided for the children were fork tender and livened with gentle but interesting spices. They were accompanied by mashed purple potatoes, one of Lily's favorites, crunchy sticks of raw vegetables, and wedges of fresh fruit. The adults were given a choice of the special, Mediterranean Chicken, or ordering off the menu. Jim Beckett demurred from the special, which was simmered in white wine, in favor of traditional Friday fish, but the rest of the ostensibly more mature attendees indulged in the skillfully crafted featured platter.

The meal was topped off by fanciful parfaits served with long spoons, which matched extra long straws provided for the soft drinks. Small but rich cups of espresso kept the adults alert. Castle had toyed with the idea of a musically themed cake, but it hadn't seemed to match up with Lily's wishes for a more subdued gathering, so he'd let the thought go.

Before leaving for the evening, Jim Beckett asked Lily if she'd like to take a little walk with him, to work off dinner. Lily accepted enthusiastically. "You're nervous about going to Juilliard, aren't you?" he asked as they made their way along the midtown sidewalk.

"Grandpa, if you had seen the other kids who were there, they were all older than me. And the website says only eight percent of the kids who apply make it in. That means they'll all be really good too. I don't know if I can keep up," Lilly confided.

"Lily, I'm sure you can, or you wouldn't be part of the eight percent," Jim counseled. "But I'll tell you something. Your mother was older than you when she went to Stuyvesant, and up until then she had always been the smartest kid in her class. Stuyvesant is a bit like Juilliard, you have to take a test to get in and you have to score pretty high. So your mom found herself surrounded by a bunch of kids, a lot of whom were as smart as she was and some of whom were smarter, especially in math. She had to get used to it. And more than that, she had to learn to concentrate on her own strengths, rather than worry about how everyone else was doing. It was hard. You know how your mother hates to lose - at anything."

Lily nodded sagely. "Daddy too."

"That's right. But they can still play games together, and with you and your brothers, and work it out. Well your mother worked it out too. She excelled in enough areas to get her into Stanford. Getting in there is very hard. She was a champion at the police academy too. She became the best Kate Beckett she could be with the skills she had. Now you may not be as good at everything, as some of the other kids at Juilliard, but your talent at composing is something a lot of them don't have. You know that. Mr. Friedman told you. So you just be the very best Lily you can be, and the rest will work itself out. Okay?"

Lily gazed resolutely at Jim. "Okay Grandpa, I will."

"And have fun," Jim added. "You music is a precious gift, to you and to the world. Never stop enjoying it."

* * *

It was late when Kate and Rick made it into their own beckoning bed. Rick wrapped his arms around her and spooned the firm softness of her body. "I don't know what your dad said to Lily, but she seems calmer now than she's been in days. I looked in on her a few minutes after she was in bed, and she was already sound asleep. That hasn't happened since she took her screening tests."

"My father's always been good at that. He always knew what was on my mind, better than I did. He knew I ran away from relationships because I was afraid of being hurt, even when I wouldn't admit it to myself. He realized I was in love with you long before I did. He figured out I was going to break up with Josh, too. He used to come up to his cabin every chance he got when I was staying there after I got shot, because he knew I was closing in on myself. If he hadn't become a lawyer, I think he would have made a good shrink. I'm really glad he could be there for Lily."

"Yeah," Castle agreed, tucking her head under the curve of his chin, "so am I. I hope I'll be as good with Bernard."


	112. Chapter 112

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 112

Rain had been pouring for a week. The lawn of the Castle castle more closely resembled a bog, killing any chance for an outside Easter egg hunt. It was probably just as well, Lily had already balked that she was too old for such activities the year before, and the twins had abandoned their belief in the generous bunny in favor of the parental pocketbook. Easter tinged festivities for Lily's birthday would be conducted indoors.

Kate and Rick took a post-decorating break in front of the moisture-banishing blaze in the fireplace."I'm really glad you had a recess for Holy Week," Castle said. "Lily's thoroughly enjoyed having you here to put your touch on her day. I think she sees my point of view as more compatible with the boys' imaginings than hers."

"That might be one good thing about being in the big girl Senate," Kate mused. "They have long recesses for every holiday on the calendar and I think they invent some of their own."

"So you're putting that in the plus column?" Castle asked.

"For now," Kate allowed. "It depends on how busy I'd be if I was back here. A lot of those guys spend most of their time off the Senate floor fund raising, much more than they do meeting with their constituents."

"Well that's just wrong," Castle remarked.

"Take it up with the Supreme Court," Kate suggested. "You know, actually, that might be possible. I've heard that one of the justices who's on 'the money is speech' wagon, you know, Thompson, is in a very bad way. He had some kind of infection that triggered an autoimmune disease. If he retires, Liz Ware may be able to put her own choice in. That could change the landscape a lot. But I'm not counting on it. One thing I've found out about politics is that you can't predict much of anything. But that's not something I want to worry about today. So how long is our adjusted guest list?"

"If by adjusted, you mean adding in the kids from the neighborhood we would have included in an egg hunt, we're now up to forty delightful youngsters. Alexis and Sergei will be here to help us ride herd. Lagi's coming too. A lot of the students from Latu's Trails will be here. We should be able to manage. From what I've seen, a look from him at any of his charges, including our little darlings, is enough to quell an uprising. Mother and your dad will be here as well, but I haven't enlisted them to be anything other than guests."

"I hope we'll have enough food," Kate worried.

"Not a problem," Castle declared. "I doubled the order on that purple flowered cake creation you and Lily picked out, and tripled the supply of frozen confections. The finger food is doubled too. And the caterer is setting up one of those computerized drink dispensers, so all the kids will need is a cup, and they can pick their own. I'll take care of the coffee for the more mature palates."

"And Lily picked out a great movie for the kids to watch on the big screen," Kate added. " _Spring comes to Fenwick Middle School._ She said she thinks the scoring is excellent, but it also features kids in the sort of situations I remember from when I was growing up. I think Lily's guests will relate."

"Which means that they'll sit still long enough to allow us to breathe," Castle hoped.

Kate leaned for a quick kiss. "From your mouth to God's ears."

* * *

Sedge Pruitt downed his second double scotch, neat. The doughy skin of his face took on a ruddy cast. "Kate Beckett could be a problem. Doesn't look like there's much doubt that Hodgekins will have to put someone in to fill Gilman's spot. Normally we could just wait for the next election and knock her out with our guy. But Beckett's no obscure State Senator. She's very high profile and she's got quite a following. And that writer husband of hers has connections everywhere and access to a lot of potential donors. Shumberg has everything ready to roll to back her too. If Hodgekins puts her in, we may not be able to beat her."

Scott Pellegrino ran a hand through his hair, making sure no skin showed between the plugs the best guy on Park Ave had inserted. I hear you, chief. So maybe there's a way to make Beckett a less attractive candidate, so Hodgekins will appoint someone else. The man is always covering his own ass. He's not going to appoint someone who stands any chance of making him look bad. Maybe we need to dirty her up a bit."

"How do you propose to do that?" Pruitt questioned. "The woman's a goddamn heroine! She brought down dangerous criminals. She he helped the needy. She's cleaning up the environment. You might as well try to dirty up Mother Theresa."

"Beckett's no nun." Pellegrino pointed out. "Everyone has something to hide. We just have to dig it up and splatter the mud in the right places. I think we should put Percik on it."

Pruitt signaled for another drink. "That could get really messy."

"It could," Pellegrino agreed, fingering the swizzle stick in his own drink, "but if you want dirt, you need someone who's not afraid to dig for it."

* * *

Kate and Rick flopped wearily on the bed. He propped his head up with the palm of hand. "That party was really..."

"It was," Kate agreed.

"Maybe next year we just bring in some guys with whips and chairs," Castle suggested. "They aren't employed in circuses anymore, they could probably use the work."

"And I'm sure your attorney could use the work when all the parents file lawsuits," Kate returned. "At least we have seven months until the twins' birthday. You know, we did almost nothing for yours."

Castle reached over to brush a strand of hair from her face. "I'd hardly say that. At least you were here and the boys did get tired enough trying to play April Fools tricks on each other, that they fell asleep early. And Lily was disgusted enough with them to retire to her room. All in all, I found it a very uplifting celebration. I'd request a special encore performance if either of us could move right now."

"You know," Kate proposed, "we could nap for a little while and then see what comes up."

Castle smiled crookedly. "Now that is a very intriguing sugges... No! Your phone is not buzzing! It's an auditory hallucination."

"If it's a hallucination, then we're both suffering it," Kate pointed out. She eyed the text on the screen. "Castle, it's an alert from the office of the AG's task force. Someone just tried to hack an old personnel file - mine."

"Why the hell would they want to do that?" Castle asked. "There's enough stuff out on the web about both of us to fill a library. Bracken and Brown are in the ground, or better yet consumed by worms. Who would be after confidential information on you now?"

"I don't know, Castle. I'm sure they'll try to trace the hacker. It could just be a random attack, but I doubt it. Something is going on - and it may be just the beginning."


	113. Chapter 113

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 113

Maisie Gentry already had plans for the money. First she'd send in a deposit so her son could go to camp. She'd never a had a summer of peace, but the idea seemed just this side of heaven. She'd get some new furniture too. Hers looked like the street corner and dumpster finds they were, after she'd had to furnish her crummy apartment when that jerk Tyler took off with his barmaid. She imagined a cruise. Maybe she could meet someone for a wild weekend of unbelievable sex. And all she had to do was pull the records on Katherine Houghton Beckett. There should have been a Castle on the end of that. If she had married a handsome millionaire writer instead of the ass she picked, she certainly would have wanted to put a Mrs. in front of his name. But if Castle's muse had been too self-centered to do it, that was his problem not hers. All she needed to do was turn over the Beckett file to Brad Percik.

Brad had sought her attention in her favorite after-work watering hole. She almost hadn't accepted the drink he sent. He wasn't handsome. With muddy brown eyes, brown hair, and an average bod, she would have passed him on the street without a glance. But there was no reason she should pay for her drinks if someone else was willing to pick up the tab, so she'd taken the Long Island iced tea and joined him at his table. He'd turned out to be kind of fascinating. She'd never met a private eye before. The closest she'd gotten, was watching them on TV - and the screen versions were nothing like Brad. He'd told her he didn't even carry a gun. Most of what he needed to know was in a computer somewhere, you just needed to know where to look. He'd paid for the drinks with a titanium card. Obviously he was very good at his job. And he was willing to share the wealth. Why shouldn't she grab her share?

She brought up the records on her screen while Caitlin was taking a coffee break, quickly captured them with her phone and emailed the images off to the special address Brad had given her. She'd get her payoff and no one would ever know the difference.

* * *

Castle scanned the contents of the metro section as he sipped his coffee. "Looks like the city may have a homicidal mugger. Woman was found dead in Central Park last night. She'd been stabbed and robbed. They're keeping back the details as usual, but it says she was an employee at the City Clerk's office."

"Well that's the Twenty-third's problem," Kate said. "I need to get back upstate. Cap called an afternoon session. We're trying to do some emergency funding for the areas flooded out in the latest monsoon."

"I will miss you of course, but a worthy cause," Castle conceded. "Will you be back tonight?"

"Depends on how long things go. Shaking loose money is always tough. I'll let you know."

Castle kissed her temple. "Fly safe."

Kate squeezed his hand. "Always."

* * *

Sedge Pruitt and Brad Percik sat in a back booth in a dimly lit gin mill. Sedge threw back his drink. "What have you got for me?"

"The mother load!" Percik declared. "The 'saintly' Kate Beckett was married before she met Richard Castle. She was married all the time she was his muse, when they were sleeping together, and even when they applied for a marriage license. She committed about fifteen years worth of adultery She was trying to commit polyandry. That's polygamy for a woman."

"I know what it is," Pruitt snapped impatiently. "But unless she actually had two husbands at the same time, no one will give a shit. Hell, we had a president who fathered a kid by his mistress! I'm not sure two husbands would even matter. What else?"

"The interesting part is the first husband. He's a grifter by the name of Rogan O'Leary. He's had warrants out in three states. In her pre-cop days, he and Beckett indulged in some questionable activities together. She was a student at Stanford, but a rebellious one. Some of the alums remember her pursuing adventures in breaking and entering, among other things."

Pruitt waved a dismissive hand. "So she had a wild youth. Some of the voters might even like that. We need more, Percik."

"She had to have lied to the FBI about her background. They never would have taken someone married to O'Leary. She probably lied to the N.Y.P.D. too. But I've saved the best for last. She was arrested for murder. Her bullet was in some drug kingpin. She took off and was captured after a pretty extensive woman-hunt too. Her picture was splashed all over the news as a crooked cop. The charges were dropped, but no one else was ever convicted of the crime. All the evidence was against her. Add that to her criminal history, it would not be tough to start a trial in the press."

Pruitt nodded slowly. "Still might not be enough for the public, but as wimpy as Hodgekins is, he'd drop her like a hot rock. Okay, I have a couple of reporters I can leak this to. It will be in the Post by tomorrow morning and trending on Twitter before noon."

"My money better be in my account before noon too," Percik warned.

"Oh it will be," Pruitt assured him.

* * *

Castle always had a Google alert set for news of Kate, but he couldn't believe the mass of hits that deluged his phone. Adultery? Murder? What the hell? Kate hadn't made it back from Albany the night before. Her session was extended to continue that morning and she didn't usually check her phone while debate was going on. He doubted that she even had an alert of her own. She was never that interested in her own publicity. He could send her a message, but the idea turned his stomach. To break the news about this kind of filth, he wanted to have his arms around her. But he doubted it would work out that way. There would be some staffer from across the aisle who wouldn't be able to wait to echo the trolls.

Beckett's ring tone emanated from his cell an hour later. He could hear the roughness in her voice. "I knew something was happening when I heard from the task force. Have you seen what's on the web?"

"I have," Castle acknowledged. "But Kate, you didn't kill Vulcan Simmons, although I wouldn't have blamed you if you had."

"But we don't know who did, Castle. It was someone who was working for Bracken. For all I know, it was one of the guys I took out in the hotel room. Bracken's in hell and we may never know. But all the other things, about my being married to Rogan while being with other men, about having an adulterous relationship with you, those are all true."

"But you didn't know, Kate," Castle protested.

"Doesn't that make it worse?" Kate questioned. "I wasn't a child. I was responsible for my actions. And I didn't even know I was married. At the very least, I look like a total fool. I don't know how to fight this Babe."

"Listen," Castle insisted. "The information about O'Leary had to come from the City Clerk's office. I mean that's where you found out. And there was just a robbery homicide of a woman who worked there. It's too much of a coincidence Kate. We find out who committed the murder and work it backwards from there."

"Easier said than done Castle. It's not like I'm a cop anymore."

"But officially, at least, I'm still a P.I.," Castle reminded her. "I'm going to work this case. Everyone from RCI loves you and will work the case too. And we'll get help from Lanie or Murray or Sergei or whoever we have to. We're going to make this right."


	114. Chapter 114

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 114

Esposito banged his fist against Alexis' desk. "I can't believe someone is fucking doing this to Beckett!"

Well believe it," Castle said. "And she needs help from all of us."

"She'll get it," Ryan pledged. "But what do we go after first?"

"We should divide and conquer," Alexis suggested. "Kevin, Javi, you use every police contact you can, to find out the details of Maisie Gentry's murder. I'll talk to Lanie about Maisie and Simmons. Once the department jumped on the ballistics from Kate's gun, they may not have considered any other evidence on Simmons' body. There may be something helpful from Maisie's autopsy too. Dad, you need to look into Rogan O'Leary. He knew that Kate was married to him. He might have actively kept that information from her."

Castle made gagging sound. "I've pushed that twerp out of my mind since Kate's and my aborted wedding, but you're right. If he deliberately kept her from knowing she was really married, the facts need to be put out there. It won't fix things. Piles of crap stink up the internet forever, but it should help."

* * *

At first, Tildy O'Leary didn't recognize Richard Castle when he walked into her bar on Staten Island. It had been fifteen years and she and Rogan had started fresh. She'd sold her place in Willow Creek and bought this one. It had been cheap, because it had been flooded out, but Rogan helped her fix it up. She suspected that he'd come by some of the construction materials in a less than straightforward manner, but it had all worked out. With his talent for spinning stories, he'd turned out to be a popular host. It wasn't as if they were living high, but they were doing all right, and other than the occasional illegal craps game, Rogan was keeping his nose clean - at least as far as she knew. She also knew she owed the writer for not having Rogan dragged off to prison. She put on her best welcoming smile. "Rick Castle, what brings you to these parts?"

"I need to talk to Rogan, Tildy. Maybe you've heard. Kate's in trouble. I think he may be able to help her."

"Sorry, Rick, I don't know anything about Kate. I don't keep anything on the screens around here except sports and I haven't got much time for current events when I'm not here. But if you need to see Rogan, he usually comes in around one. Would you like a drink while you're waiting? On the house."

"I don't suppose you've got coffee," Rick wondered.

"Irish coffee, but I can leave out the Irish."

Rick put up a hand. "That's all right. I'll be back."

* * *

"Alexis, I got the file on Maisie Gentry," Lanie reported. "The stab wound was unusual. It looked like the blade had a single offset groove on each face. So I reached out to Clark Murray. He thinks it comes from a Khanjali. That's a Russian weapon, but it dates back to ancient Greece. Our murderer might have been using an antique or a reproduction. I've asked the M.E. in charge to have another look for trace in the wound. If it is an antique, there might be some rust."

"Can you check for similar cases?" Alexis asked.

"Already doing it, honey. If anything comes up I'll let you know."

"How about Simmons?" Alexis queried.

"Now that was my case, which makes it easier," Lanie explained. "I examined every inch of that body. Once the cops settled on Kate, I couldn't pursue the rest of what I found. My samples were sequestered, on orders from that creep Marcus Donovan. But I've tracked them down, and we're a lot better now at amplifying DNA than we were then, even the degraded stuff. There should have been some sweat from the killer. It would have been hard work digging out all the bullets except the one that was left to implicate Kate. So I'm running an analysis. If I find anything, I'll let you know."

"Lanie, you're the best!" Alexis explained.

"Kate's my friend. Anything you need," Lanie assured her.

* * *

Ryan and Esposito sweated through the pick-up basketball game with the detectives from the twenty third. As losers, the duo had to buy the beer. "That was one strange mugging," Detective Carter declared, when Ryan idly inquired about the dead city clerk. "You know, normally if someone is attacked in the park, it's in one of the places where the junkies go to make a buy, or some of the homeless hang out looking for food. But this one was in one of those nooks where people go to make out."

"So you think she knew the guy?" Esposito prompted.

"It's possible. Also," Carter added, "usually a mugger will take a purse and run. You know? He took her cell phone and her wallet, but left everything else. He just might have been removing any signs of a relationship."

"Sounds like one sick bastard," Ryan commented.

Carter shook his balding head and sighed. "They're all sick bastards."

* * *

"Hey, Man Parts," O'Leary greeted Castle at the booth where the writer waited, "long time no see. How's Kit Kat?"

"Don't you check the news any more than your wife does?" Castle questioned.

"Not unless I have a bet riding on it," Rogan claimed.

Castle blew disgusted air through his lips. "Figures. Well right now the heat is on Kate, and one of the things making the steam rise is her former wedded non-bliss with you. Some mudslinger put the story out, that for fifteen years she lied about being single."

"She was married." Rogan pointed out.

"To you!" Castle exclaimed. "But she didn't know it. For God's sake O'Leary, she was a college freshman on a Vegas bender. She didn't know what the hell she was doing but it's obvious you did."

"Shh man! Tildy will hear you. You know she thinks I was married to a poor woman in a coma, who died. You trying to get my man parts removed?"

"Whether you keep them or not depends on you," Castle advised. "Now I need a statement from you that not only was Kate unaware that her marriage to you was anything more than playacting, but that you willingly misled her for your own purposes."

"What if Tildy finds out?" Rogan whined.

"She hasn't picked up on what's been burning up the internet about Kate yet. You'll just have to keep her busy enough, one way or another, so she doesn't. But O'Leary, I swear, if you don't help me put the truth out there, you'll have a lot more to worry about than whatever Tildy does to you. I will make you wish those bikers up in Willow Creek had sent you to the asphalt in the sky, or wherever you'll end up. I have a lot of friends in law enforcement, and the ones I have outside of it are even more dangerous. You know who Dino Scarpella is?"

Rogan swallowed. "The crime boss?"

"That's him," Castle displayed a thin scare on his palm. "We're brothers, so to speak, and he owes me a favor, a rather large one. I don't think you'd enjoy the view you'd get of the Jersey Meadowlands - until they decide to make you a permanent resident."

Rogan pulled at his sweaty collar. "No need to go to extremes, Castle. You know I have a soft spot for Kit Kat. I'll do anything I can to help her out."

Castle pulled a document from the breast pocket of his jacket, along with a pen, and handed them to Rogan. He grinned at Kate's hapless ex. "Yes, I'm sure you will."

A/N Guests, a lot of us were annoyed at the idea that Rogan O'Leary never showed up in background checks, especially for security clearance. It made no sense. I've explored that in some of my other stories, along with what would have been required to actually exonerate Kate. As lovely an episode as Veritas was, the story had some huge holes, as did For Better or Worse. Nonetheless, they are canon. This is not an AU story, just a future history, so I'll do the best that I can with what's in the official record. Of course if Simon Doyle wants to go back and change it... LOL.


	115. Chapter 115

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 115

"You know," Sergei said after a mouthful of the stew Alexis had loaded into the slow cooker that morning, "my family has a history with khanjalis. They don't like to talk about it, but those knives were the favorite weapon of some of our blacker sheep."

Alexis put down her own fork, to stare at him. "So what kind of a killer do you think would use one?"

"One who wanted to be quiet and quick and probably enjoyed his work. It's not exactly the kind of weapon you just routinely carry around. You could easily pick up a hunting knife for that. Whoever killed Maisie Gentry planned the crime."

"Mm hmm. Kevin and Javi think he made contact with her first. It might have been some kind of a rendezvous. So we're tracing Maisie's movements. They're checking out places her friends said she liked to go. We're hoping they saw her with the killer. If you wanted to get a khanjali, where would you go?"

"Etsy, maybe, for a modern one, but if this guy is like one of the relatives our family would rather forget, he might have one that was passed down through the generations, like my parents' samovar."

"As far as canvassing stores is concerned, that's not too helpful," Alexis remarked.

"No," Sergei agreed, "but there are clubs that appreciate Russian culture: the language, the music, ancient victories. It's possible someone with a love for khanjalis might patronize a place like that. There's one on seventy-second street, only a few blocks from Central Park."

"I don't see Kevin or Javi getting much out of anyone in a place like that," Alexis remarked.

"You're right about that. "But," Sergei offered, "I could - and I have a comp time day off tomorrow."

* * *

Though Boyar had only occupied a New York location since the '90's, it felt ancient. The walls were covered with tapestries, hot tea steamed in glasses at tables, and the furniture was embellished with gold leaf. Sergei's Russian vocabulary could have been more extensive, but at least was largely unaccented, since he had learned it from his parents from early childhood. The Russian speaking hostess showed him to a table and handed him a menu in Russian. He ordered _pryanik_ and _chai_ and perused a copy of Russian Bazaar, while alert to any useful smatterings of conversation that floated through the room. He was on his second cup of tea when he barely heard "khanjali," from across the room. A nondescript man with a grin he could only classify as evil, laid a silver sheathed knife on the table for the admiration of his companion. Sergei couldn't hear much of the conversation, but he was pretty sure he caught "kill with one blow. Surreptitiously, he pulled out his phone and snapped a photo.

* * *

Lanie's anxious excitement flowed through Alexis's phone. "Girl, there was trace in Maisie Gentry's wound, but it wasn't rust."

"What was it?" Alexis asked.

"Silver oxide," Lanie replied.

"So the blade was silver?" Alexis inquired.

"Probably not, at least not all silver. It would have been too soft to hold an edge."

"Could it have been kept in a silver sheath?" Alexis pressed.

"That's very possible. Why, have you seen a knife like that?"

"No, but my incredible husband has, and he got a picture of the guy who had it. Thanks Lanie, I owe you."

"No you don't, but there's more. I put out the word and got reports of silver oxide turning up in wounds on several bodies that were assumed to be muggings over the past few years. This guy is an assassin. So you be careful. You tell anyone who's near this, including your family, to be careful. You hear me?"

Alexis felt her blood chill. "I do Lanie. And we will."

* * *

Chuck Shumberg paced his office. Kate Beckett had been far and away his best candidate and Governor Hodgekins now completely refused to consider her as a possibility. He had expected it. Hodgekins had always been swayed by the gentlest of breezes and the assault launched at Kate was more like a hurricane. He was sure Pruitt was behind the whole sordid affair. It had his grimy prints all over it. But Pruitt never did his own dirty work. He was using someone, someone dark and slimy. Chuck nodded to himself. If anyone could lift the rock Pruitt's operative was hiding under, it would be Kate Beckett.

* * *

Chief Victoria Gates had very little time for lunch, but she chose to spend it meeting Kate Beckett and Richard Castle. They were far from the culinary venues that used to land the writer on Page Six. Kate had chosen a hole-in-the-wall cafe whose most distinguishing feature was the scarred Formica on the tables in the high walled booths. But the food was more than edible, the coffee fresh, and the privacy excellent. Kate handed over a file with the picture Sergei had taken, and all the rest of the information gathered on Maisie Gentry's presumptive killer. "RCI came up with nothing on facial recognition, but I understand the department has access to a couple of new data bases Alexis hasn't found a way into yet."

"I'm not even going to ask you to explain what you mean by 'way into.' I don't want to know," Gates declared. "So from what you said, you don't believe Maisie Gentry is this guy's only victim, and we have an assassin out there with an antique Russian dagger."

"That's about the size of it, sir," Kate confirmed.

"And the killer is connected to the smear campaign against Kate," Castle added.

Gates shook her head and pointed to the file. "I'm sorry, but aside from having my people investigate this freak, there's really nothing I can do about that."

"But there is," Castle disputed. "Reopen the investigation into Vulcan Simmons' murder."

"With what?" Gates asked. "We need some kind of evidence to revive a cold case, especially one that cold."

"The evidence on that case was deliberately obscured," Castle insisted, "but Dr. Parish is working on pulling back the curtain."

"Well what's behind it better not be some guy pretending to be a wizard, but if she uncovers anything significant, we'll pursue it," Gates promised.

* * *

When the caller I.D. indicated a call from Richard Castle, Jim Beckett expected to hear Rick or Katie, but the quavery voice on the other end was Lily. "Grandpa, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Sweetheart," he assured her. "Always."

"Some of the kids at school said Mama is very bad. They said that she's a liar and a cheater and a murderer. It's not true, is it? Mama wouldn't do those things."

Jim Beckett sighed. He'd seen his daughter slammed before. And there were always snide comments in the press. Any public figure had to expect that, but it had never been this bad, except for the time just before she brought William Bracken to justice. What was going on now was a nauseating rerun, with a few extra embellishments that Rick had managed to deflect. He couldn't have expected that Lily wouldn't hear about it on the schoolyard. No doubt Jake and Reese had too, but they saw their mother as such a superhero, they would naturally assume the stories were the work of some evil super-villain. Lily was beyond that level of protective fantasy. He'd have to do the best he could to explain. "Lily, your Mama has made some mistakes, just like we all do. She was married to a man before your Daddy, but he fooled her into thinking she wasn't. She never wanted to lie or cheat. And as a police officer, your mother has had to shoot people, but to save others. She is not a murderer. You know your Mama, the kids at school don't. You know she'd never do anything like that, don't you?"

"So the kids are just full of shit." Lily concluded.

"I think a more acceptable way to put it might be 'sadly mistaken,'" Jim counseled. "But yes, they are."

A/N Boyar is fictional but Russian Bazaar is a real New York Russian language newspaper. Etsy is an online marketplace for handcrafted items.


	116. Chapter 116

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 116

A 911 from Castle flashed on the screen on Kate's dashboard just as she was starting for the Capitol building. "Babe, what's up? Something breaking with the case?"

"Not yet," Castle replied. "This is a family emergency of the feminine kind. Lily started bleeding this morning. She can't find the stuff you put aside for her and she can't use what you use. "

"Damn! I moved it because the twins were playing hide and seek in Lily's bathroom. I was thinking there'd be more time. This is pretty early."

"She has been very stressed. First with the Juilliard thing and then - well you know. I've been hearing a lot of toccata lately."

Kate grimaced. "I'm sorry you had to cope with this, Castle. It should have been a Mama thing."

"It's not a problem Kate. I went through this with Alexis, just a little later than it's happening to Lily. Just tell me where you hid the stuff and Lily and I will be fine."

"Back right side of the top of my closet. The twins haven't made it up there yet. There are a couple of different sizes. Lily can use whatever fits her better. Is she cramping?"

"If she is, she hasn't complained, but I don't think so. She managed to get down a pretty good breakfast before it happened. If she is in pain, I know what to give her."

"I'm sure you do," Kate replied, before Castle ended the call. Kate slammed her palm against the steering wheel. She'd just flown back to Albany the night before. In a way it had been a relief to get away from the city while she was waiting for something to pop on the khanjali wielding mystery man. Burying herself in work had always been her best defense, even if it was for a couple of inane committee meetings. If she'd known, she could have found a way to skip them, but that was the thing about the monthly curse, it tended to make its first appearance at the most inconvenient times. At least Castle didn't freak. For that, she loved him even more. Even so, to hell with the committee meetings. She'd take the first turn-off she could, and head for the airfield. She was going home.

* * *

Lanie carefully scanned the DNA results from the samples she'd saved from Vulcan Simmons' body. Anything from Kate was absent, pretty much proof in itself that she hadn't been the one to dig out the slugs. What showed up was definitely male and Caucasian. It had been run against CODIS with no match, but Lanie had a hunch. All the members of the N.Y.P.D. had been required to have their profiles run so it would be easier to exclude accidental contamination of crime scenes. She started a comparison of the results she had against that data base, before popping out of the lab for some caffeine in the form of a jumbo diet cola. When she returned, her eyes narrowed as she regarded her monitor. It made perfect sense that it would be that sonofabitch. She'd call Victoria Gates, Alexis, and Castle, but she'd call Kate first."

Kate was just leaving the hanger at Sullenberger when Lanie called. "Marcus Donovan," she repeated. "I always thought he was working for Bracken. He came after me too fast and too hard. And there's no doubt about your results?"

"None," Lanie confirmed. "All the phenotyping matches too. You could practically draw an ugly portrait from what I have."

"And there's no way what you found could be spun as accidental contact," Kate realized. "Internal Affairs was nowhere near the body or the crime scene. The only way Donovan's DNA could have been on Vulcan Simmons was if he killed him. And since he used my gun, Bracken must have had him frame me, too."

"We'll get him, Kate. I'm going to turn all of this over to Gates. Donovan's on the retired list, but I'm sure she'll track him down."

"I know she will," Kate asserted. "To bring down a dirty cop, she'll mobilize the whole force if she has to. But listen, Lanie, don't call Alexis or Castle. She'll tell him, and I want to do it myself."

* * *

Minnie Sparks gazed at the image on Ryan's phone. "Yeah, I saw Maisie with that guy. She called him Brad, I think. I didn't understand what she saw in him. He looks like - nothing. You know? So you think he killed her?"

"It's a possibility," Ryan replied. "Do you know anything else about him, like where he lives or works?"

"I didn't really pay that much attention," Minnie confided. "I mean in this bar there were much better guys to look at. But they got into a cab together and I'm pretty sure she wouldn't have taken him to her place. She was always complaining about how small and crummy it was and her son was there. I heard he's with her mother now. She might know something."

Ryan put money on the bar for Minnie's Cosmopolitan. "Thanks, you've been very helpful."

She took a healthy sip. "Yeah, well I hope you catch him."

* * *

Castle stomped across the floor. "Donovan! I wanted to punch that bastard's face in, the minute I saw him. No wonder he fought so hard against Gates playing the tape. He knew it would incriminate his boss. I'm surprised he didn't contact Bracken and warn him."

"He would have known that once the truth came out, Bracken's communications would be monitored. He was covering his own ass," Kate surmised.

"Well the important thing is to get the truth out again," Castle declared, "at least about Vulcan Simmons' murder. I can put it out to my followers right now!"

"No you can't, Castle," Kate warned. "Donovan could pick up on it and run. He's not stupid. He's managed to survive this long. You need to wait until Gates' people have him in custody."

"And all the time people keep calling my wife a murderer. For how long, Kate?"

"I don't know, Babe. They'll have to figure out where he is first. Retired, he could be anywhere. He might have a nice little nest egg courtesy of his dealings with Bracken. It could take a while."

"I'm going to put Alexis on it," Castle declared. "She's got Ryan and Esposito chasing down Maisie Gentry's murderer, and with the N.Y.P.D. on that case also, they should be enough. And I'm going to get into locating Donovan myself."

"Fine, just as long as you and Alexis turn anything you find over to Gates. We don't want any chance of having him get off by claiming friends of a disgraced cop were out to get him."

"Understood," Castle agreed reluctantly.

Kate glanced at her watch. "Listen, Lily's going to be home in a few hours. I want some time alone with her. That's why I decided to come back to the city so fast. Can you put something together to keep the twins distracted?"

"And here I thought it was because you couldn't stand another moment away from me. Never fear, the new and even grosser adventures of Captain Splatt and Gizzard Storm will await them. There will be a battle to the death of at least a dozen cookies."

Rising on her toes, Kate pressed a kiss to his lips. "I don't know how I'd ever manage without you."

Castle grinned and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Yeah. I don't know either."

A/N Dear Guest, as far as I know Kate didn't take Castle's name. The one time he called her Mrs. Castle, other than at the wedding, she called him Mr. Beckett in response. I think that was meant as a clue to the audience. No one ever called her Mrs. Castle. Everyone, even her friends, still called her Beckett. Given her independent streak, that makes sense. It is no longer necessary for a wife to take her husband's name. Since Kate would have a long record, credit and otherwise, under Beckett, it could be confusing and complicated to do so.


	117. Chapter 117

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 117

"So that's who you are," Victoria Gates muttered. The facial recognition search for Kate's mystery knife lover had hit a wall when "Restricted" flashed on her screen. She'd had to call every contact she knew, and get her sister involved, to break through. It seemed that Mr. Average was a busy guy. The FBI had been using him as informant for years, and regardless of whatever else he might be doing, had him under their protective wing. Well if he'd committed a murder in her city, that was going to change - and soon. There was no address on the file, only a name, Brad Percik. She picked up her phone.

* * *

Lurlene Bentrock regarded the Hispanic man outside her peephole with suspicion. She hadn't approved of the way Maisie had run around after her divorce, but she'd never dreamed her daughter would be murdered. She hadn't seen her future as having to raise her grandson either. She didn't need any more trouble. The man held up an I.D. - as a private investigator. What the hell was a P.I. doing looking into Maisie's case? Well at least he was doing something, which was more than she could say for the police. From the polite but vague responses she'd received, they'd uncovered zilch. "Just a minute," she said through the door. Lurlene went to get the small gun she kept in her nightstand, tucked it into the pocket of her housecoat, and opened the door. "Mr. Esposito, did you say your name is? Come in. I can't say I understand why a private investigator would be interested in my daughter's murder. Who are you working for?"

"I can't tell you that Ma'am. Our clientele is strictly confidential." Esposito held up his phone, displaying Sergei's picture of Brad Percik. "I can say that we are investigating this man in relation to another case involving records your daughter had access to. We believe that he might have tricked your daughter into revealing some information and then killed her to cover his trail. His name is Brad Percik. Did you ever see him with her, or did she ever tell you anything about him?"

Lurlene pulled her reading glasses out of a pocket not containing her gun, and stared at the picture. "I don't believe I've ever seen him. He's not Maisie's usual type." Her hard eyes took on the gleam of unshed tears. "I mean what was her type. But she did mention a Brad. She thought he was kind of an idiot. She said she was going to get a lot of money out of him for doing almost nothing. Maybe that was about the records you mentioned. I guess he was a lot worse than an idiot." Lurlene swiped the back of her hand across her eyes. "I always told Maisie that if something seems to good to be true, it isn't true. You can't trust anyone in this city. I live by that. She never listened."

Esposito nodded sympathetically. "Yes Ma'am. Do you remember anything else about him? Did she say where he lives?"

"She just said Upper West Side, near the park. She said they had drinks at his place, but she gave him most of her attention in the park."

"Thank you, Mrs. Bentrock, that helps a lot."

"Lurlene put a hand on his arm. "You'll catch him, won't you?"

"Count on it," Esposito declared.

* * *

"So," Ryan related, when he and Esposito met up at RCI, "I checked with the cab company for anyone picked up at the bar and taken to the Upper West Side on the night Minnie Sparks saw Maisie with Percik. There was one. The driver didn't remember Brad very well, apparently hardly anyone does, but he remembered Maisie, or rather he remembered that her cleavage was poking out of the top of her dress. He dropped the two of them at Central Park West and West 77th Street. It looked like Maisie'd had a few drinks, but she'd been talking about wanting another one. So Brad probably took her up to his place. There's an apartment building there. We should have the cops pick him up, like Alexis said."

"No way!" Esposito insisted. "If the cops pick him up, the FBI will claim jurisdiction and get him out of there. Or he'll just clam up and we won't be able to get to whoever hired him to go after Kate. We stake him out and let him lead us to his boss. Then we call the cops."

"What makes you think he will?" Ryan argued. "He's already done his job. He could be working for someone else now."

"Castle said Shumberg picked someone else for Kate's slot. The jerkoff will probably want to knock them out of the running too. I saw guys like that in the military, Ryan. They're control freaks. They want their own people in place, or some patsy they can control. Another pick by Shumberg wouldn't fit that bill. Whoever is pulling the strings will want to use Percik again. And when he tries, we'll have them both."

* * *

"What are you doing?" Kate asked, as Castle hunched intently over his laptop.

"Trying to track Donovan. I looked into his background. The guy's a fanatic about kite flying competitions. I guess that's his way of being on top. Anyway, he entered a bunch of contests while he was in New York, won a few of them, then he was banned from competition for putting some kind of abrasive on his kite string and using it to cut the tail off another flier's kite. I'm researching competitions. I figure wherever he is, he might have picked up his hobby again. Maybe he even returned to showing his cheating bully colors."

"Any luck?" Kate asked.

"Maybe, I found a couple of blogs that had entries about kites losing their tails. There are a bunch of discussion boards too. I'm just getting into those. What are you up to?"

"I'm going to take Lily shopping. She was planning on white for the summer and now she's not so sure. I know how she feels. Until you have some kind of confidence you have things under control, it can be pretty nerve-wracking. For a few years I used to make sure I had a jacket or a sweatshirt I could tie around my waist, just to be sure."

"Kate Beckett as less than confident about something. I wouldn't have imagined," Rick remarked. "But come to think of it, when I was growing up I sometimes wondered why girls tied their jackets that way, especially when it was cold and they would have been more comfortable wearing them. I thought it was a girl style thing, like when preppies tied their sweaters around their necks."

"Preppies? You are showing your age, Babe. It is a girl thing, but definitely not for style. Anyway, I want Lily to feel as secure as she can, so we'll look for some comfortable but cute things in darker colors. Good thing tunics and over blouses are coming back. They can cover a multitude of embarrassments. And she and I haven't had just a girl's day since I took her flying. It should be fun. I can use some. So can she."

"You certainly deserve some, both of you. And far be it from me to stand between women and the hunt. If the boys don't need too much herding, I'm hoping I'll have something on Donovan before your victorious return."

A/N Readers, if any of you read my book, Dark Awakening, about an autistic vampire, I'd really appreciate a review on Amazon. (Author Sally Ramsey, there's more than one book with that title.) The reason is, if I can get twenty, they'll but it in the "Also bought," listings. That would really help sales. If I could get seventy, they'd even put it in a newsletter, but that may be too much to hope for. Right now, I only have six.


	118. Chapter 118

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 118

Castle studied the pictures of the annual kite flying competition in Turks and Caicos. A featured participant was older and uglier, but unmistakably Marcus Donovan. He couldn't decide if the smile on Donovan's face as he held his string was spooky or nauseating. He came down on the side of nauseating. An Easter tradition, it hadn't been long since the contest was held. Was Donovan still there and soaking up rays, or had he returned to the states? There were signs of him in competitions in Milwaukee Wisconsin and also in DC and Louisiana. If he continued to follow the schedule, his next stops would be Chicago and Michigan. None of that gave Castle a clue to Donovan's home base, but there were other ways to go. The National Kite Fliers Club had a database. There were magazines that catered to the crowd as well. Alexis could do a little well targeted hacking... or maybe there was an even easier way. He checked on mailing lists for sale.

* * *

"Is that him?" Esposito asked over his com.

From the park across the street, Ryan turned his binoculars on the figure exiting the 77th Street building. "Yeah, that's Percik. He really does look like nothing. Sounds like a spin-off sitcom."

"Well this guy isn't funny," Esposito retorted. "He's heading south, so he's not going to take the subway at 81st Street. He may have a car parked on one of the side streets or be looking to pick up a cab. Either way, get your ass in the car and we'll follow him."

By the time the two men were underway, Percik had turned onto 76th Street. Half a block in, he climbed into a dark gray midsize sedan. He turned south on Columbus Ave and found parking near one of the upgraded low rise buildings housing businesses. Esposito mumbled under his breath as he scrambled to find a place for their car as well. Ryan sighed. "Sometimes I miss being a cop. We could park our unit anywhere."

"Uh huh, and then you'd be bitching that you never see your kids because you're too busy moonlighting to pay for their college. I never thought I'd say this about Castle, but he and Alexis do us a solid, more than the department ever did. So right now we're giving a little back."

"I hear you, Bro," Ryan conceded. "Oh, there's one!"

Esposito pulled into a narrow space in a small lot, and he and Ryan ran quickly from the car to Percik's destination. The two men surveyed the display in the lobby, listing the businesses in the building. "Doctors, dentists, a fashion consultant - Jenny could use an office like that," Ryan noted, and then pointed. "I bet that's it. Two-oh-six, just an office number, totally uninformative."

"You go check it out," Esposito suggested. "I'll stay here in case he comes out again."

The door to 206 was at a bend in the hallway that obscured it from the sight of anyone more than a few feet away. For Ryan, that was a double edged sword. He couldn't just loiter and hope to observe exits and entrances from the office, but if he was careful, he could operate unobserved. He pulled a bug out of his pocket and affixed it above the door frame. The range would be limited, but he could monitor it from the men's room near the elevator.

Hiding in a stall, Ryan immediately picked up voices on a tiny ear bud that worked in concert with his phone. "So what about the new one?" came an unimpressive voice he guessed was Percik.

The speech of the man who answered, had a roughness borne of a steady application of whiskey to his throat. "Turk Brown. He might be able to hold the seat. Not as high a profile as Beckett, but he was a football player, a center. He started a sporting goods business that's done pretty well. Brown's poured a lot of money into the party and publicly supported a lot of bleeding heart causes. He has a good-sized fan base, especially since he started doing commercials where he runs around in shorts and not much else. Judging from the Twitterverse, that goes over pretty well with the ladies."

"Not many qualifications to be a Senator," Percik noted.

"The only one that's required is that he be old enough, and he is. Anyway, he's done a lot of favors for the party and Shumberg likes him. Hodgekins likes him too; he played for his alma mater. So see what you can dig up."

"It's your money, Pruitt."

"Pruitt," Ryan repeated. He wasn't that up on politics, but he was pretty sure Kate would be able to identify the guy in a New York second. And then it would be time to get Gates to send in her forces.

* * *

Castle scrolled through the listings he'd received in his email as soon as his payment had been processed. There was no Marcus Donovan, but there was a Marc Donnelly in Connecticut, just a short train ride from the city. Castle ran a quick background check. Marc Donnelly had appeared days after Donovan's retirement. A credit check revealed nothing before that time. There was no mortgage. His home had apparently been bought for cash, with the only regular bills posted for utilities. "If you were going to hide that close to home, should have stayed off the grid, jackass," Castle muttered. He began to google for images of a Marc Donnelly. There were none. He'd have to get Alexis to check the Connecticut DMV, but he was pretty sure he'd tracked the rat to his hole. There was a picture of the Donnelly house on Zillow. A pretty nice hole it was.

* * *

Scott Pruitt had no idea how he ended up in an interrogation room with a Detective Carter and the goddamned chief of police. What the hell was she doing there?

"Mr. Pruitt," Detective Carter began. "A witness observed you conducting business with a Brad Percik, who has been arrested for the murder of Maisie Gentry, and suspected of many more. Percik does his work for hire, Mr. Pruitt. It is our belief that you are the one who hired him to kill Ms. Gentry."

"Wait just a damn minute!" Sedge Pruitt protested. "I'll admit I hired Brad Percik, but I never solicited a murder. I don't know anything about a Maisie Gentry. He was doing opposition research. There's nothing illegal about that. It's done all the time. I had no idea Percik would do anything except investigation."

"Investigation to give you ammunition to smear Kate Beckett?" Victoria Gates accused.

"Kate Beckett made the decision to jump into the political pool. She had to know she'd get wet. Hardly the first time she's been the subject of bad press. I haven't done anything wrong," Pruitt insisted. "And now I'd like my attorney."

"Then you'd better have a good one," Gates warned.

* * *

Marc Donnelly/Donovan was retrieving his latest _Fliers' Festival_ from his rustic mailbox when the line of Connecticut State Trooper vehicles pulled up and blocked the road and his drive. When he saw a car driven by Kate Beckett pull up behind them, he knew he was done. Kate stood beside Castle as guns drawn, the troopers approached Donovan. He obeyed the roughly barked command to get on his knees, and clasped his hands behind his head. He was silent as he was cuffed and led away.

"You know," Rick told Kate on the drive back to New York. "I was really hoping Donovan would protest."

"Why, Castle?"

"Because I was dying to tell him to go fly a kite."


	119. Chapter 119

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 119

It was the end of a very long day. The kids were in bed, and now, finally, so were Rick and Kate. "It looks like your decision was made for you," Castle murmured softly into Kate's hair as she snuggled against his shoulder.

"Uh huh. It's great that the D.A. is finally getting to charge Percik with murder and Rogan's statement is at least a sidebar in the paper, but I hate that Pruitt got away with no criminal charges."

"At least the Donovan case clears you of suspicion of murder," Castle remarked.

Kate burrowed more deeply into the comfort of her husband's body. "It's not enough. I thought maybe Shumberg could get Hodgekins to change his mind, but he's settled on Turk Brown. Turk is a decent guy though. He'll do a good job and probably win the election easily enough. So I'll just run again for State Senate. I might have decided to do that anyway. There's still more than enough for me to do there and I've worked out how to be here with you and the kids more. Also, having most of the summer free next year when Lily will be off from her program at Juilliard will be better. She's entered the next phase of growing up and I want to be there for her. Daddys are great but there are some experiences you've just never had."

"One thing for which I'm very grateful," Castle quipped. "But you know, even so, could you could sue Pruitt for defamation?"

"I could," Kate confirmed. "I'm pretty sure I could prove malicious intent. But Castle, Pruitt and I would both lose. If I did sue, it would just keep all the dirt circulating in the media and you know a lot of people believe where's there's smoke there's fire. Better to let the next scandal come along and have any tweets about me vanish into the archives. I'll just keep my head down. The constituents in our district like me. They'll keep me where I am."

Castle pulled her tight against his body. "This constituent especially likes where you are."

* * *

With the weight of a choice off her shoulders, Kate looked forward to the Castle's traditional Memorial Day weekend in the Hamptons. The family made the trip, but it was anything but traditional. With warming temperatures, the hurricane season was coming earlier. Hurricane Colin had taken an unexpected turn. It was still miles out to sea, but the storm surge was flooding the beach and the houses built close to the water. Castle's paranoia in buying a home built on higher ground had paid off for him and his family. They were in no danger, but some of his neighbors were in peril of losing at least anything on the ground level of their homes. So Rick, Kate, Lily, and even the twins pitched in to fill sandbags. It was hard, sweaty, work, especially in the heat and humidity. At the end of the day they returned to their own beach home, wanting nothing more than to wash the sand off their bodies and collapse. Castle thought that ice cream, or an amazing simulation, would be just fine for supper and Kate and the kids agreed.

Even without suffering the brunt of the storm, the wind howled around the house as the family huddled in front of fireplace. Lily's eyes took on a look that Castle recognized as mental composition. "Getting an inspiration, Sweetheart?" he asked.

Lily swayed to an internal rhythm and closed her eyes. "I can hear a wind song to go with my sky and sea sonatas. I'm going to try and record it on my keyboard upstairs. She padded away, lost in the music swirling in her mind.

Jake punched his brother's arm to get his attention. "I've got an idea for a new villain. His name is Windbag. He absorbs air from hurricanes, then uses it to put people to sleep with speeches, like the one Daddy wrote for the writers' dinner."

Castle started to protest, but Kate put a hand on his arm.

"Yeah!" Reese responded. "I could draw him. He has a body that looks thin, but it's all folded. And his costume is all folded too. Then when he breathes in the storm, he gets all big until he starts talking."

"Then when his victims are asleep, he robs them and they wake up with earaches," Jake continued. "Let's make his comic now!" The boys bounced toward the stairs.

"I guess it's just us," Castle observed. "And what would you like to do with these unexpected moments of solitude?"

"Didn't I see a sparkling Shiraz in the rack in the kitchen?" Kate inquired.

"You did," Castle confirmed. "Would the bubbles tickle your fancy?"

Kate ran a fingertip along the roughened line of his jaw. "They just might - and who knows what else they might tickle?"

Castle sprang from his seat. "I'll get the cork screw!"

* * *

The storm had retreated, the family was comfortably stuffed with chocolate chip pancakes and Castle was surveying the beach with binoculars. "What's down there?" Kate asked.

"A lot of garbage," Castle replied. "Plastic mostly. There's some driftwood too, I can't tell from here but there might be some decent shells and... wait, I think there's a body!"

"Oh not again!" Kate moaned. "Are you sure it's not an animal or a big fish or something?"

"No, I'm not." Castle replied. "It's surrounded by a bunch of crap. I need to go take a look."

"Well if it is body, let's just call Chief Brady. We don't need to get involved in a case, especially with the kids here."

"Roger that. Hey, whatever it is, I won't be long."

Castle made his way down the long wooden steps that led from his pool area down to the beach. He noted that they had taken a beating from the wind. He'd get a carpenter out to look at them after the holiday. Whatever he'd seen was farther down the beach than it had seemed through his binoculars. Grimacing at the mess, he picked his way through the debris. Whatever he'd seen wasn't dead, it was moving. The body was definitely human, male, and looked to be in his late teens or early twenties. His eyes snapped open and a scream poured from his mouth.

Castle laid a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Hey Buddy, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to help."

"The young man shrank from Castles touch, sat up, and wrapping his arms around his knees, began to to rock back and forth. "It's okay," Castle soothed. "You're going to be all right." Castle pulled his phone out of his pocket to call Kate.

She answered immediately. "Babe, I'm watching. Who is that? Is he okay?"

"Kate, I'm not sure what's going on with him, but I know he needs more help than we can give him right now; medical help of some kind. Can you call Brady? I'll stay with this guy until whomever he can send, gets here. I'd ask you to send Lily down with a blanket or something, but I'm not sure I trust the stairs."

"Okay, Castle, I'm on it."

Castle wasn't sure what else he could do. He settled himself on the sand to wait.


	120. Chapter 120

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 120

As Castle sat watching, the young man seemed to retreat into his own world, much the way Lily did when music was playing in her head. He couldn't help wondering what was going on inside, but whatever it was, seemed less frightening than the debris littered beach. Castle heard a vehicle in the distance. An EMT unit, equipped with large tires for traction on the sand, drove up. EMTs, whose badges identified them as Murphy Morrison and Gail Fenwick got out. "Careful," Castle cautioned, "I don't think he likes being touched."

"Was he in the water?" Gail asked.

"I don't know," Castle replied. "From the scream he let out, I don't think he's having any trouble breathing. He was very frightened, and now he seems to be completely out of it."

"The chief checked," Murphy reported, "no one's been reported missing."

Gail hunkered down in front of the still rocking young man. "Can you tell us your name?"

There was no response but a whimper. "We should take him to the hospital," Murphy declared. "The doctors there can sort things out."

Gail put a gentle hand under the man's elbow. He pulled away and screamed again. She gave Murphy a questioning look. "Vitamin H? We should conference in."

Murphy pulled out a tablet, made a connection to the hospital and aimed the camera at the young man..

"Do you have to drug him?" Castle asked.

"It's better than having to put him in restraints," Gail replied. "If he panics and flails around or tries to get out while we're transporting him, he could injure himself."

Murphy nodded at the text that appeared on his screen. "Doc says to go ahead."

Castle had expected the young man to panic at the sight of the needle, but he reacted to it less than he had to human touch. As he became calmer and drowsy, Gail and Murphy led him to their unit. Castle watched them go, wondering what else he could do.

Suspicious of the soundness of the stairs, Castle took a winding path up the hill back to his beach house. Lily and the twins met him at the sliding door that led in from the grounds. "Who was that man, Daddy?" his daughter asked, her eyes shadowed with concern. "Where did he come from?"

Castle shrugged and stroked her dark hair. "I don't know. But after the doctors have a chance to help him, I may be able to find out. I can call the hospital later."

"I bet he was captured by aliens," Jake asserted. "Their ship got caught up in an ion storm and he escaped. Then he rode the wind down to the beach."

"Well that would account for why he was scared," Castle allowed. "But I didn't see any probe marks. So listen you guys, aliens or not, the beach is a mess. If we clean some of it up, who knows what treasures we might uncover? We'll have a nice hike up and down the hill, too."

"Good move," Kate whispered as Castle led his band down the path.

"If Mama's an environmental warrior, the rest of the family might as well do their part. Besides," Castle replied with a sneaky grin, "between this and some enthusiastic pool play this afternoon, they'll be thoroughly tired out again. Maybe we can finish the wine tonight and," he wiggled an eyebrow, "whatever we didn't get to last night."

"Definitely a good move," Kate agreed.

Jake and Reese were more interested in studying the sand for signs of an impending invasion, but when prodded they helped to fill a trash bag Castle had brought. Lily dutifully filled one of her own, and Kate and Rick filled two more. The scene was devoid of alien artifacts, but by the time the family made the reverse march up the hill, pockets were stuffed with shells.

Once they'd cleaned up, neither Kate nor Rick was in the mood to cook, so they threw together a salad and sandwiches that wouldn't sit too heavily in tummies while the kids were in the water. Lily decided she wanted to stay in and work on her music, but Castle took the boys out to play a wet version of Rebels and Alliance. An argument promptly ensued ever who got to play the Rebel sergeant, but it was settled by a game of phasers, shields, and photon torpedoes. Standing in shallow end, Castle served as referee to Rebel and Alliance forces, finally declaring a mandatory retreat on both sides, to live to fight another day.

* * *

Castle was wrapping himself in a robe after a steaming but quick shower, when Kate came into their bedroom. "Chief Brady called. He said our mysterious stranger had no I.D. on him. They're calling him John for now. The doctors couldn't find any injuries except for some scratches and bruises he might have gotten if he was wandering around. A neurologist and a psychiatrist are going to be looking at him to figure out what's going on. They'll be keeping him at the hospital until he's cleared medically, then adult services will probably take over."

"As cool as it would be to go along with the twins' theory, I doubt he dropped out of the sky," Castle said. "But it's really strange he wasn't reported missing. If he was with his parents or at a facility, you'd think an alert would have been put out. Someone should care that he's gone."

"Come on, Castle, a lot of the homeless in New York have some kind of mental illness. Their families can't cope or give up on them - or they go off their meds. They get picked up by the cops and spend three days at Belleview and then they're gone again. That's one of Fill The Cracks' outreaches. You know that. Maria tries to get them hooked up with services and therapy, but a lot of the time it doesn't work out."

""I know about that in the city, sure," Castle acknowledged. "But in the Hamptons? This place is a bunch of small towns. People know each other. They can't just blend anonymously into the pavement. It doesn't make sense."

"Lots of things don't make sense, Castle, but I get a feeling you're not going to let this go."

"I can't, Kate. I found John. I feel responsible for him."

"Alright, Babe. Maria told me that Javi has a 10K run down in Jersey this weekend and she and Manuel were going along to cheer him on. When she gets back, we can see if she has any ideas."

"I'm not going to wait that long," Castle declared. "There's a story here. John came from somewhere. There may be someone out there who loves him. I'm going to put the word out to my followers, with a general description, and see if anyone has a clue. Maybe in the confusion of the storm he wandered off and nobody realizes yet that he's missing. And I want to go to the hospital. Maybe they'll let me see him."

"Seeing you could upset him, Castle," Kate warned. "He was traumatized when you found him."

"Or John might see me as a friendly face," Castle countered. "I can give it a shot. I might come up with something else about him while I'm there."

Kate kissed his cheek. "If there's an imagination that can do that, alien abductions aside, it's yours."


	121. Chapter 121

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 121

John looked more peaceful in his hospital bed, but his eyes flicked over the walls, as if studying every detail. Castle approached cautiously. He was regarded intensely, in the same way as the wall, but John didn't shrink away from his presence. "Do you remember me?"

John pointed at him, then rubbed his fingers together. Castle puzzled over what the motion was supposed to show. He rubbed his own fingers together, mimicking Johns' actions. It seemed like what he would have done if feeling a texture, like the grit of sand. "Sand! The beach. I found you on the beach."

John grunted, then turned to point to the signs behind his bed. "Press button to call nurse," Castle read. "You want the nurse?"

John gave another grunt, edged with frustration, and jabbed his finger repeatedly at the first letter of the sign. "The letter 'P'?" Castle asked.

John bobbed up and down as grunted, then pointed to more letters. "'E,' 'T,' 'E,' 'R,'" Castle read in sequence. "Peter? Your name is Peter?"

Suddenly handsome as he smiled, Peter bounced and grunted again. "You can read!" Castle realized. He pulled a pen and the small notebook he used to jot down story notes, out of his pocket, and handed them to Peter. "Can you write?"

Peter drew rather than printed, "Yes," in letters imitative of a print font, complete with serifs.

Castle regarded the page. "Well you definitely got your style from a book. Where did you see it? Where do you live?"

"Cabin with Bill. Bill gone."

Castle pictured Peter alone, with wind beating against the walls of his home. "You went looking for him? You went to the beach?"

"Yes."

"Well now we know where you came from, Peter." Castle pointed to the pad and pen. "I'll leave these with you, and tell the nurses and doctors to have you write down whatever you need."

"Thank you. What is your name?" Peter scribed carefully.

Castle grinned. "Richard Castle. You can call me Rick."

* * *

Kate's brows rose. "So he can't talk, but he can read and write?"

"Yeah," Castle confirmed. "The doctors think he's autistic, because of the way he resists being touched, and it's consistent with some other tests they ran. But I checked. With autism, being non-verbal doesn't necessarily correlate with low intelligence. We don't know what Peter can do yet, or who the Bill he told me about is."

Kate nodded knowingly. "But you're going to find out."

"Damn straight! I've already given what I have to Chief Brady and we still have another day here. I put out a query about Bills and cabins in the woods. And once I sort through all the responses I'm getting with quips about horror movies, there might be some useful information."

"And while you're waiting for that to come in, how about if we enjoy what's left of that bottle of wine - and the rest of your promise we were too tired to make good on last night?" Kate proposed.

Castle cupped her cheek in his palm. "Far be it from me to break a promise to my beautiful and still totally kickass wife."

* * *

A fire was burning around the anchor in the grate. Kate lit the many candles around the bedroom, as she had so many years before, on her first tryst there with Castle. She had been so unsure then, a cop in the fancy beach house of the millionaire playboy writer. Castle's distraction with a mystery hadn't helped either, but now she found it endearing. He cared about people in trouble and she loved him for it. Her biggest worry was that their children, asleep down the hall, wouldn't stay that way. But their own day of mystery, work, and play, had left both the boys and Lily securely cuddled down into their pillows.

Rather than the filmy lingerie she'd used to tempt him their first weekend together, she possessively wore one of his t-shirts - and only his t-shirt. The light cotton brushed her thighs. It covered much, but concealed nothing. Her mood was obvious as twin firm points pushed against the thin fabric. He was already in bed, as he had been before. The sheet was pulled up just below his pecs, revealing the sprinkling of hair, just beginning to show a fleck or two of gray. His hair still flopped boyishly over his forehead, begging for her to smooth it back. Her fingers couldn't resist the plea. As she reached down, he pulled her toward him. She pushed back the sheet, straddling his bare hips. "You're still wearing too many clothes," he murmured, reaching up to help her slip the last barrier over her head.

She leaned forward, the loose locks of her hair brushing his chest as their lips met. He tasted of the cinnamon in his toothpaste with a dark overtone of strong coffee. Her tongue sought the rich spice, as it met his and twined. His fingers plunged into her hair, drawing her deeper, her breasts pressed tightly between them. Her hips began to move of their own accord, Their mouths pressed harder as the heat of need rose in time with the flames in the fireplace and the flicker of the candles blazing around the chamber.

Wrapping her tightly in his arms, Castle rolled Kate beneath him, then supported his weight above her. She arched upward against him, over and over, the fever of need growing more insistent each time. Resisting ablation by the touch of her own fingers, the intensity grew. Her seeking hand found his arousal as urgent as her own. Her palm stroked and teased, compelling him to fill her aching hollow. Their joining was perfected by their years of intimate knowledge of each other. They rolled again. His mouth reached for straining ovals of dark flesh, fingers caressing the spot that most craved their touch. Kate bucked like a thing wild, nervous energy surging through her like the pounding of hurricane propelled waves. She could feel her climax rising within, like lava in a volcano. As it topped the lip, Castle exploded in concert. Strength drained, she fell against the firm flesh of his body, and they lay, both full and spent.

The sun forced its way through the glass of the bedroom windows. Kate half opened her eyes. Sometime during the night she'd rolled off Castle. She lay beside him, resisting the arrival of morning. It couldn't be denied. She could hear a rattling that she recognized as a box of the twins' newest cereal obsession, from the kitchen below. Clearly the children were up. At least they were feeding themselves. But if she didn't want the twins to leave a trail of Captain Cornies throughout the house, it would be best to gut it up and depart from the haven of the bed and the warm body beside her.

Eyes still closed, with a smile borne of a sweet dream, Castle reached for her hand. "Don't get up, stay in bed."

Kate's own lips quirked, remembering the first time she'd heard him say that. At least there were no tigers here, but there was taming to be done nonetheless. "Castle, the kids are up. I'm going downstairs."

He groaned at leaving behind whatever fantasy Morpheus had gifted him. "Mmm. I'm coming."

Wrapped in a silky kimono, Kate made sure the twins and their cereal stayed at the table, where Lily sat, picking off pieces of a croissant and sipping orange juice. Arrayed in his favorite Darth Vader robe, Castle joined her in the kitchen and prepared to satisfy his craving for caffeine. While it brewed, he checked his Twitter time line, scrolling through pages of clever but useless tweets. His eyes widened. "Kate, I think there's something here that might lead to Peter's Bill."

A/N Dear Guest, agitation in a person with autism was exactly what I was seeking to portray, and it doesn't end at childhood. That is something with which I have many decades of familiarity.


	122. Chapter 122

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 122

Castle pointed to the screen of his phone. "This is from one of my zombie apocalypse fans. He's into the survivalist, off-the-grid thing, and says there is a Bill living that way in one of the old cabins in the woods around here. There's link for a rough map."

"You should send that to Chief Brady," Kate said.

"I will," Castle agreed, "but I don't know how high it would be on his priority list. Peter is safe where he is and Brady's still got a lot of fallout from the flooding to contend with. I'd like to go out there myself, maybe we can make it a family outing."

"To visit some hermit in the woods? I don't think so Castle. Some of those survivalists shoot first, and we may not live to answer questions later."

"What's a hermit?" Jake asked.

"It's a kind of crab," Reese answered.

"True, in a couple of senses," Castle said, "but this hermit has two legs, and Mama is right, he may be dangerous. So I'll just do some reconnaissance."

"You're not immune from a shower of shotgun pellets either," Kate pointed out.

"I'll take the binoculars and keep my distance until I have things scoped out out," Castle promised. "It won't be any different from the P.I. stuff I've done before."

"Ooh, Daddy's going on a mission," Jake declared happily.

"And you two are going on one to brush your teeth and get dressed," Kate instructed.

* * *

Castle had left his car at the end of an unpaved road and continued down a narrow path on foot. He could spy something through the trees and raised his binoculars from around his neck. There was a cabin. He could see the well weathered wood. There was no smoke from the chimney, but that proved nothing. The day was too warm to require the heat of a fire or wood stove. He plugged a sound amplifier into his ear. If anyone was moving around inside, he should hear them. He listened intently but could detect nothing but birds and the rustling of leaves and small animals. He continued cautiously and mounted the steps to the small porch and rapped on the door. "Anyone here?"

There was no response. Slowly he pushed the door open, the wood creaking softly. The cabin was empty, but showed clear signs of recent occupancy. There was no refrigerator, or anything that ran on electricity, but wooden shelves were stocked with goods canned in Mason jars. Two jars sat in sink, awaiting cleaning. Castle imagined the water came from a collection barrel he'd seen out front. There might be a well or stream somewhere too. A large, obviously hand crafted bookcase, was stuffed with volumes and notebooks, most likely the source of Peter's instruction. Where could the mysterious Bill have gone? Castle decided to look around in the woods. He followed another rough path past a garden, to the stream he'd conjectured. Fishing gear lay on the ground. Castle gazed beyond it. There was something in the water. Taking off his shoes and socks and rolling up his jeans, he waded in for a better look. It was a too familiar sight, a body. "Bill, I presume," he muttered.

He used his phone to snap a picture, but was out of range of any signal he could use to send it. Returning to his car, he used his hot spot to transmit the image, along with a terse description of what he'd found, to Chief Brady. He struggled with the idea of going to the hospital to show it to Peter. In the end, he decided against the idea, at least until he could consult with a professional. The young man needed no more trauma. Sighing, he headed back to his beach house to discuss what he'd found, with Kate.

* * *

"So Peter has been living off the grid with Bill for God knows how long," Kate summarized. "I suppose the next step would be a DNA test to determine if they're relatives of some sort."

"They don't look alike," Castle noted. "It was hard to tell from a body in the water, but it looked like Bill was blond, or at least had been. Peter is dark. Fatherhood would seem unlikely. The body types are completely different too. Bill was kind of stocky and Peter is almost reed thin."

"Bill might not have been feeding him much," Kate speculated. "But when samples are run, we'll know one way or another. Right now, the boys are so hyped up about your mission and the Peter mystery, that we should take them somewhere to burn off some energy. Lily's finished working on her wind song, at least until she can get back to her piano. She could use an outing too."

"We could take them to Adventureland," Castle suggested. "The boys love the bumper boats and the jungle treetop thing. And they have miniature golf. Lily's developed quite love for that. She has really good aim, obviously inherited from her Mama."

Kate bumped him with her hip. "Yours was certainly good enough last night."

"Don't start me thinking about that," Castle warned, "or I won't want to go anywhere except back to our bedroom and this, sadly, is not the time."

* * *

Chief Brady oversaw the retrieval of the body assumed to be Bill. He'd heard rumors of someone living in the woods, for years, but no one had filed a complaint. As far as he knew, no laws were being broken, so he'd never allotted any resources to check out the situation. Not that one could tell by looking, but the man didn't appear to have been crazy. His hair was short and his beard trimmed. His sergeant, a fishing aficionado, said the gear by by the stream was old but well maintained. Maybe the man had just become disgusted with modern life. Brady had occasionally felt that way himself. But none of that would explain Peter.

Castle had suggested there might be clues in the cabin, journals of some sort. Brady hadn't had a chance to look at the notebooks his people had found. He didn't have a cop with the time to go through them either. He could assign the task to one of the unpaid college interns working in the station for the summer. He was sure it would be more interesting work than filing and taking dog poop complaints. He'd see about that when he returned to his desk.

* * *

"Doctor Comdon," Nurse Sandra Palmer called, as he strode past her station. "Could you sign off on an order for a sleeping pill for Peter?"

"Hmm, he's on haloperidol, isn't he, Sandy?" Comdon inquired. "That can cause sleep disturbances. Perhaps it would be better to just back off on his dosage."

"What he's having is more than a sleep disturbance," Palmer explained. "He has nightmares, more like night terrors really. He screams and he moans and he thrashes like the devil is after him. But when we wake him up, the only explanation he can write for us is the word, "alone."

"That sounds more like a psych problem," Comdon noted. "Dr. Rashidi saw him, right? I'll call her in for another consult. Maybe she can figure it out."


	123. Chapter 123

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 123

Castle just couldn't drive his family back to the city without checking in one last time on Peter. He noted a doctor in the room with the young man, and was about to wait outside, when Peter grunted and wrote "Rick," in his notebook. Dr. Rashidi motioned Castle to come in.

"Can I talk to you a second?" Castle asked the psychiatrist.

They retreated to the hall where Castle showed her the picture of Bill and asked what he should do.

"Rashidi shrugged. "He's been obsessing about being alone, but I can't tell what else is going on inside his head. Seeing his caretaker that way could upset him more, or he might be reassured to know that he wasn't just left. He seems to relate to you, you can try asking if he wants to know what happened to Bill."

Castle did as she suggested. Peter wrote "yes," in his notebook and Rick gently showed him the picture on his phone. "Bill's dead?" Peter wrote in response.

"He is," Castle confirmed, squelching his impulse to put his arms around him. "He couldn't help leaving you alone."

"Bill didn't leave me alone." Peter wrote. "It was before Bill."

Castle's eyebrows rose. "How long before Bill?"

"18 years," Peter responded.

"Do you remember what happened eighteen years ago?" Castle asked.

"No."

* * *

It was three A.M. and the space beside Kate in the king sized bed in the Fieldston house was empty. She found Castle pacing the floor in the living room. She leaned against his broad back, resting her cheek on his shoulder blade. "Worried about Peter?"

He turned to her. "More baffled than worried. What could have happened to him eighteen years ago?"

"I'd hate to think about it, Babe, but he might have been abandoned. People have been known to do that with children with disabilities."

"Dropped off in an emergency room, or even a fire station, where they could get some help, but Kate, in the woods? That's barbaric! I don't want to believe that."

"So what's your alternative theory?" Kate queried.

"I don't …. Wait! What if he was kidnapped, maybe to be sold? But when the kidnappers realized there was something wrong with him, they ditched him. A kid, all alone, who couldn't tell anyone what happened to him. Then Bill finds him and takes him in, raises him in isolation. There was no TV, no radio, no internet in that cabin. He'd have no way of knowing where Peter came from."

"That's a stretch, Castle, but assuming your story is true, why would Bill do that? He'd cut himself off from the world. Why would he take Peter in?" Kate questioned.

"I don't know that - yet." Castle admitted. "The answer might be in the notebooks Chief Brady's people collected from the cabin. But I'm not going to wait to find out. If an autistic child disappeared eighteen years ago, it had to have made the news. I need to run a search."

"What you need to do is get some sleep," Kate counseled. "You're exhausted and you'll be able to focus better in the morning, or at least later in the morning. Besides, the bed is too cold without your undeniable heat."

Castle's lips twitched. "You're Heat. How soon they forget. Alright, the search has waited eighteen years. I suppose it can wait a few more hours."

* * *

Four A.M. was a strange time for a shift to start at the Hamptons' police headquarters, but it suited Amelia Morgan. She had a summer seminar later in the day and it was the perfect time to get her hours in, especially the reading that Chief Brady had assigned. There was a stack of old style, bound, composition books on the table in the corner where she'd been assigned a work space. They had been numbered, but the pile was out of order. She sorted through them until she found number one. The script was written in neat but tiny letters and the ink had smeared in places, but with some effort, she was able to make out the writing.

" _Betty is gone. I have said it over and over to myself. My mind believes it but my heart can't accept it. The world, as it has become, took her from me. The wrong keystroke, the wrong coding of a test, a doctor was left unawares. By the time the truth was discovered, it was too late. I prayed, down on my knees until I was too weak to rise, but God's ears were closed, or had never been there at all._

" _Betty loved God. She loved everyone. With the ability to give life of our own denied to us, she was a mother to all. She cared for the children of our most distant relatives, she adored every child in our neighborhood, but most of all she adored her students. Seeing them learn to grasp the words on the page was her biggest joy, and it became theirs. Even in her final days, they would come and read to her the stories that had become so much a part of their lives._

" _They come no more. They have their screens and the information that streams at them so fast and in such volume, they cannot begin to comprehend. It is that deadly and digital flow that has left my life barren. I have no need of it. I have no need of those who embrace it. I will return to the simplicity of my youth, with only what nature provides and the written word, where some spark of Betty's spirit may still remain. My old home will become my haven and my refuge. I will not be in this world and it will steal nothing more from me. I have nothing more to give."_

Amelia put down the notebook, unsure of whether her eyes were tearing from trying to make out the minuscule letters or from the story they told. She couldn't imagine the life Bill wanted to live; no computers, no phones, nothing to connect him to the world. She had never suffered a loss as deep as the one he'd committed to the page, so it was hard for her to wrap her mind around the desolation that drove him into retreat. Still, his story was compelling. Getting up, she went to the break area and started a pot of coffee. That was one thing the Chief never skimped on. He was addicted to Flavor Country and most of the denizens of the station appreciated his compulsion. She certainly did. The aroma of the fresh brew suffused the room. She filled a mug and returned to the outpouring of Bill's life. Much of the first notebook was devoted to expressions of grief and descriptions of the life he was building for himself in the woods. The second notebook contained a turning point.

" _I found a boy today. He was alone and scared. I did what Betty would have done and took him in my arms, but he screamed in fright. He won't or can't speak a word. There is no sign of where he came from, but tire tracks in the dirt. I can feel Betty's spirit recoil in grief. For a child to be left like that, the horrors of the world have only expanded. He will be safe with me. I will give him the love that Betty would have given. I will teach him the way Betty would have taught. Her light will envelop us both."_


	124. Chapter 124

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 124

The call from Chief Brady came not long after Rick and Kate had gotten the kids off to school. DNA results had indicated that Bill and Peter were not related. In addition, Brady relayed a summary of what Amelia had gleaned from the notebooks. Castle could feel the viscerally human story in Brady's narration and asked if he could read the notebooks himself. Brady was loath to let them out of the station, as they were possible evidence of a crime, but told Castle he could read them if he returned to the Hamptons.

"You really want to go, don't you Babe?" Kate asked over their second cup of coffee.

"I'm torn," Castle admitted. "I want to search for disappearances of children that might be Peter, but I also want to experience Bill's story, and most of Peter's, first hand."

"Well what about this," Kate proposed, "you go up there now. You know that the final part of the 2028 session starts tomorrow, so I'll be heading back to Albany for a few days. It's at least three hours out and back to to the Hamptons, more if there's traffic. Even accounting for your lightning fast reading, you'll be gone until pretty late. I'll be here when Lily and the boys get in from school, and I'll get them fed and whatever. Then we can have a late supper together when you get back, and you can tell me what you found out. I'll fly up to Albany tomorrow morning."

Castle stuck out a hand. "Deal."

* * *

At the Hamptons' police station, Castle cleaned his reading glasses for the third time. He could imagine how Bill felt without Betty. He had felt that wrenching of his gut and his heart when he'd thought Kate was lost to him, and Bill had endured it so much longer. But Peter's story still fascinated him.

" _Taking the boy in was almost like tending a wounded animal. No matter how good your intentions, it will lash out in fear and pain if you get too close. He was both scared and bewildered. Every sight, every noise, seemed unbearable to him. He closed his eyes and covered his ears, keening to resist any intrusion. There was little I could do for him. I left food and water where he could take them on his own. At first I thought he'd starve himself. But slowly he began to accept nourishment. He examined every part of the cabin, first with the intensity of his gaze, and then by touch._

" _Even when his fear had subsided, he never said a word, but one day he pulled a book from the shelf, one of the precious volumes Betty had used to teach her earliest readers. It used only only ten words in various configurations to tell the tale of a bear baking a cake. Without touching him, I read the words out loud. He seemed to understand, and paged through the slim volume again and again, fingering both words and pictures. It was the first book of many he studied, before he tentatively reached for one of my notebooks and a pen. I've never seen anyone craft letters with such care and exactitude. That was when I learned that he remembered his name was Peter._

" _From then on, he could write what he wanted to tell me. Over the years he read every book I had, many times over. I tried to teach him to fish, but he hated the feel of the bait. I noticed that some textures were as disturbing to him as being touched. He would even reject food, more on the basis of feel than on taste. He would smell everything as well and seemed to know when dinner was ready even before I did, just by olfactory input._

 _Peter has become the son Betty and I could never have. I cannot hold him in my embrace, but I know that I have touched his heart, as he has touched mine."_

Castle skipped to the final words in the last notebook. _"Peter says there is a storm coming. I can see nothing in the sky, but he has written that he can feel and taste it. I believe him. I haven't known him to ever be wrong in that respect. We have plenty of put up vegetables, but I would like to catch some fish before the weather catches us. It's early and Peter is still asleep. I should be back before he wakes up. Peter always seems to feel better with substantial protein in his system and in truth so do I. My strength appears to be leaving me in these past months. Breathing has come uneasily at times. I worry for my boy. I have tried my best to prepare him for life, but he is not yet ready. I pray that I have yet time. Just now I begin to hear the rise of the wind. I'll have to hurry."_

"Poor guy never made it back to the cabin," Castle muttered to himself. "I hope he's found his Betty again."

* * *

Kate had set the table complete with candles. It was almost ten o'clock, but the rich scent of her special meat sauce wafted from the kitchen. She and Castle shared a salad and sipped red wine for the few minutes while the pasta boiled. "So Bill had a heart attack?"

"According to the M.E.'s report Brady showed me, he did, but the actual cause of death was drowning. There was water in his lungs. The theory is that when the attack hit, he fell into the water and couldn't get out. The stream wasn't that deep. All he would have had to do was get up, but apparently he couldn't manage that. He was too heavy to be carried by the current, so he was there until I found him. He never had a chance to tell Peter where he was going, so Peter must have just plunged out into the wind and rain looking for him. Then he ended up where I found him."

"So what's going to happen to Peter now?" Kate asked.

"Adult services is looking for an adult fostering family for him. Dr. Rashidi doesn't think he'd do well in a group home," Castle replied. "But Kate, I'm still determined to find out how Peter landed in Bill's woods. He might have a family out there somewhere. They may still be looking for him, wondering what happened to him. If he does, I'm going to track them down."

"Babe, of that, I have no doubt."

* * *

The house was too quiet. The kids were off to school and Castle had driven Kate to Sullenberger field. He let music flood through the speakers in his office. Somehow, "The Who" seemed appropriate as he pursued his search for Peter's origins. He would have liked to enlist Alexis in his quest, but her case load was full and she needed her time with Sergei and Bernard. Anyway, he was perfectly capable of doing it on his own. The listings from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children went back more than eighteen years, but they were far from complete. There was no reliable way to judge how many children had actually disappeared, and Peter was not an uncommon name. There was no way to know if he had been diagnosed at the time of his disappearance either, so the autism might not have been in his record. But Castle had found smaller needles in bigger haystacks. If there was an answer to be discovered, he would find it.


	125. Chapter 125

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 125

Castle rubbed his eyes and stretched wearily. There were too many stories of missing children, and each one made him want nothing more than to jump in his car to go check on Lily and the twins at school. He decided to change tacks. Perhaps there was more to be learned by looking at descriptions of the monsters that would tear helpless young ones from their families. He would have loved to have used FBI records, but more than eighteen years before, despite expending millions of dollars for the purpose, the FBI had botched their Virtual Case File software. The Sentinel system that replaced it had not even been employed until 2012, which would have been too late for Peter. Moreover, during his experience in a kidnapping case with Kate's old pal Sorenson, as well as well as when Alexis was taken, he'd found their skills less than stellar. He would have to rely on the documentary abilities of fellow writers.

Employing Lexis Nexis, he accessed the contributions of one legitimate journalist after another, finding no story that matched Peter's history. In desperation, he turned to a less reliable source, true crime. He found a lead with an author whose tactics on an old case had left him desperately in need of a shower to wash off the slime. But in spite of her sleaziness, Lee Wax had a talent for gathering facts and fitting them into an accurate, if sensationalized narrative. The promising few lines of the synopsis were free, but predictably, the download of the full story was not. The $2.99 was meaningless to Castle's finances, but the idea of Lee profiting from the misery of distraught parents turned his stomach. Nevertheless, he transmitted his payment.

" _The Deadly Demise of the Baby Stealers_

" _Kurt and Barbara Bainsmith were scum. No other word would describe them. More than despicable, they trafficked in the most helpless of humans, those too young to resist or ever tell the tale. Chameleons, they blended in wherever they went. Surrounded by the boutiques in in upscale enclave, Barbara would be decked out as any fashionable shopper, complete with a designer scarf and jewelry well enough crafted that only a jeweler's loupe would betray the falsity of its shine. Among those desperately trying to stretch a paycheck to the end of the month, she would clearly be a client of dollar and thrift stores. As part of the scenery she could easily scope out her her prey. It took only the most momentary of distractions for her to shatter the hearts and spirits of parents bereft of their beloved children, while Kurt kept the motor of their getaway car running._

" _In whichever car was most native to the time and place, Kurt was an expert driver, always under the radar. He'd never earned as much as a parking ticket to draw any notice from law enforcement. Barbara's unfortunate captives were immediately transported to another state, where they could be sold before anyone could track them._

" _Month after month, year after year, strollers and carriers were snatched with their innocent cargo, confounding both local police and the FBI. No amount of diligence could pick up the Bainsmiths' trail. They were always a step or a state ahead. Then what the wheels of justice could not accomplish, the aftermath of mother nature's wrath could. A massive blizzard hit New York in 2010. Among the resulting calamities, the one dealt with least swiftly, was the repair of damage to roads, including a particular one in Long Island, New York, where Colin O'Donnell was hauling a load of scrap metal scavenged from a defunct factory._

" _Colin hit a pothole and his load jolted from his battered and overfilled pick-up. The road was closed until the hazard could be cleared, but small but deadly shards escaped detection and retrieval. That escape was the destruction of the Bainsmiths. A blown tire wrenched their car from Kurt's control. Crashing through a guardrail, the vehicle careened down an embankment before coming to a violent rest against an impenetrable wall of evergreen sentinels. Unconscious but still alive, the Bainsmiths remained in the car while a debris filled tailpipe forced deadly carbon monoxide into their lungs. While eluding the reach of earthly punishment, fate had sentenced them to its own gas chamber._

" _Among the contents of the car recovered by investigators, were Barbara's cellphone and laptop, on which she kept track of their felonious transactions and hidden funds. Working backwards, in tandem with forensic accountants, law enforcement agencies were able to trace the paths of the Bainsmiths' victims."_

Castle skipped ahead through Lee's rendition of solved cases.

" _One puzzle remains, the case of Peter Nance. Peter had been characterized by his parents, Heidi and Greg, as a slow talker. Heidi had been earnestly engaged in conversation with a saleswoman at an educational toy store in a mall, when Peter, lovingly strapped in his stroller, disappeared. The M.O. fit that of the Bainsmiths, and DNA showing a partial match to each of the Nances was found in the wrecked vehicle. Tragically no records of a sale of the child could be retrieved. His parents have continued to pray that he will be found, but to this day, Peter Nance's fate remains unknown."_

Castle exhaled a breath held back by his immersion the story. "Don't count on it, Lee."

* * *

Lee Wax stood in the doorway of her apartment. "Richard Castle, that's a face I never expected to see again. You look a lot older than the picture on your book jackets."

"They still use the one they took when I won my last Pulitzer, but you're showing a little mileage yourself, Lee," Castle retorted.

"What do you want, Rick?" Lee demanded.

"Your help in solving a mystery that involves us both."

Lee smirked. "Considering what happened last time, why would I want to do that?"

"Because the future of a very special young man may be at stake," Castle replied.

Lee blew a derisive burst of air through her augmented lips. "You'll have to do better than that."

"Fine, you get to be my co-author," Castle proposed. "That should move you up a bit in the literary world. You might even get an offer or two out of it. I just need some information."

Lee waved him inside. "What kind of information?"

"Everything you have on the Peter Nance disappearance, especially contact information for his family."

* * *

At first Heidi thought the call from a man identifying himself as Richard Castle, was another con artist. There had been so many over the years, claiming to have information about Peter. All they wanted was money. Not that she and Greg had much to give. After Peter had disappeared, they had exhausted every resource they had - and more. It had taken years to recover, to be able to afford a house again, as basic a dwelling as it was. Peter's picture remained on her dresser. Her hope had never died over the stretch of time, but it had dimmed. Understanding her wariness, Castle had given her his Skype address and invited her to call him back. Googling, she'd found pages of images of Richard Castle that she could use for identification. She studied the most recent one intently, before hesitantly pressing the keys she needed to make contact. Greg stood at her side, their hands tightly clasped. The face she saw on her screen showed the beginnings of graying stubble, but it was Richard Castle. She gasped as Castle held up a picture of a young man who unmistakably had Greg's eyes and her own chin. Tears choked her voice. "Oh my God! Is he all right? How did you find him?"

Castle smiled through the screen. "Mrs. Nance, Mr. Nance, Peter is fine, and a remarkable young man. How I found him is a long story."


	126. Chapter 126

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 126

Kate could think of very few better ways to spend her break from the Senate than flying the Nances to New York to see their son. They had politely returned her greetings, but said little else during the flight, clinging to each other for support. Before departing for her short hop to Ohio, Kate had made a couple of calls she hoped would smooth the way to making the Nance's reunion with Peter permanent. Unfortunately, they couldn't just take him home. He had been declared a ward of the state, with a guardian ad litem and under the watchful eye of adult services. Without permission from the court, the Nances couldn't take him out of New York. However, since no suitable foster care had been found, there was a waiver for him to stay with his parents, within state borders. Castle had immediately volunteered the beach house for them to use while the legal affairs were sorted out. Disability law was out of Kate's wheel house, so she'd enlisted the help of counsel from Fill the Cracks, to help speed things along. Still, it would be a few days at least, before the Nances would be able to bring their son home.

* * *

It was Heidi Nance's first flight on a private plane and she was nervous, but the plane was the least of it. The last time she'd seen Peter, she'd kept him in his stroller, not because he couldn't walk, but because he would take off at incredible pace if allowed to stand unfettered. He had been a strange child. With the lack of speech, she might have suspected retardation, except that he assembled puzzle toys years beyond his age range and took in every detail around him. Perfect strangers commented on how bright and alert he looked. Her old time pediatrician had counseled patience, assuring her that many otherwise normal children were late in speaking. Peter's other milestones were normal, or even ahead of the curve. But there was more. At ten months he had pushed away her breast, resisting being held, yet he would burrow under the sofa cushions, enjoying the pressure against his body. Before Peter had been taken, an appointment had been arranged to see a specialist, but they'd never had a chance to keep it.

Richard Castle had told her a great deal about what Peter was like now. He'd even sent her videos, and pictures of Peter's exquisite penmanship. But she had no idea how she'd talk to him, or even if he'd want her to. She and Greg were strangers to their own son, and she was unsure if they could bridge the gulf.

* * *

Heidi's fingers were clamped tightly around Greg's. He could understand why she was scared. He was scared too. In his fantasies he'd pictured a boy like himself, who could coax anything from a computer keyboard. He'd imagined chess games and trivia contests. From what Castle said, Peter had grown up completely isolated from the modern world. Until being taken to the hospital, the last time he'd seen a computer, or anything electronic, had been before he was kidnapped, and Peter didn't remember those early days. Greg didn't know if his son could learn to understand or even grasp the nerdish fascinations that were so much a part of Greg's life. He couldn't guess what he would say to the son he still pictured as a child, but was now a young man.

* * *

Kate landed at the Aviation Country Club on Long Island. Lily and the twins would be doing an overnight with Nicholas and Sarah Grace, under the supervision of Jenny and Kevin Ryan, so Castle was able to pick Kate and the Nances up. He drove the group to the beach house, to allow the Nances to get settled before they would be interviewed by Peter's guardian and social worker. Any of their own questions for those officials would also be discussed, before Peter was brought to them. Rick provided refreshments for the meeting, but the Nances couldn't even pretend to be hungry. The conversation was cordial, but accompanied by a stack of paper. When everything was explained and signed, it was decided that Castle, as the person with whom Peter was most comfortable, would be the one to bring him to meet his parents.

* * *

Castle had held off showing pictures of Heidi and Greg to Peter, until he was convinced that their presence would be a sure thing, but when he picked him up at the hospital, he had a number of them on his phone, as well as views of the house and the grounds, from every angle he could imagine. Peter had seen the house from the beach the morning after the storm, but Castle suspected that the young man had been in no state to remember it. Surprisingly, Peter did, querying if the wood and trash were still on the beach. When Castle ushered Peter into the passenger seat of his luxurious car, Peter regarded the dashboard display and controls with wonder. Throughout the short drive, he circled his fingers over the soft leather of his seat, while noting every detail of the route Castle drove.

* * *

Heidi and Greg understood that for their son, the hugs that Heidi wanted so desperately to deliver, would not be welcome. They settled for simple hellos. Peter wrote an answering hello in his notebook, which he still preferred to an electronic tablet Castle had offered. Then spying a decorative onyx chess set upon a table near a window, Peter went to examine the pieces. Greg asked him if he knew how to play, and Peter wrote that he'd read a book about it and had played with Bill. Nervously, Greg asked if Peter would like to play with him.

Greg started out slowly and simply, moving a pawn one space, but soon found there was no reason to hold back with his son. Peter won the first game, with Greg cutting him no slack. The whole gathering ate assorted snacks together, before Greg and Peter enthusiastically started another game. Peter had never seen pizza before. He picked little bits of pepperoni and cheese off a slice, to smell and taste, and eventually decided he liked it. This time the senior Nances had healthy appetites.

* * *

Kate and Rick spent the night at the beach house to make sure everyone was comfortable, but in the morning bid the Nances a temporary goodbye, letting them know that the housekeeper could bring them anything they needed. Castle dropped off Kate at the Aviation Club so she could ferry Johanna back to her regular hanger at Sullenberger field, while he drove back to the city. He had work yet to do on his current volume in the Holy Snake Oil saga, but in his head, he mapped out the book Peter had inspired. The names would be changed, as well as pertinent details, to preserve the Nances' privacy, but the enormity of the emotional impact would remain. There would be characters steeped in the bonds of love between Betty and Bill, and the continuation of that love as it was poured into Peter. Castle would portray the hope, almost lost, but regained, by Heidi and Greg. He had yet to know exactly what the ending would be. The Nances had a long road to become a family again. But there was one thing he did know. Lee Wax would get the writer's credit he'd promised her, but her slimy soul would never obscure the light of humanity that would shine from the pages of Peter's story.


	127. Chapter 127

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 127

For Lily the summer had gone too fast, yet not fast enough. She had taken her last lessons with Mr. Friedman, before she would have to leave him for her program at Juilliard. He'd promised her that she could call if she needed him, and he would always be there for her, but it would not be the same as seeing him all the time. She was excited to start her Saturday courses, but picturing them still caused something to jump around in her stomach. She would be in class with the best music students in New York, almost all of them older than she was. Her mistakes would be noticed not just by her teachers, but by all of them too. Whenever she though about it, she was scared.

She'd also be left with only Sundays free, and even then she might still have homework. The past few months she'd been able to spend time with Mama. They'd shopped, or just hung out in the cute stores on Broadway, without buying anything. She also helped Mama a little with her campaign, handing out buttons and leaflets. Lily had wanted to learn a little about how Mama fought, but there was so much worry that she might damage her hands, that most of what Mama had taught her was how to use her feet - for running away as much as for fighting. Daddy was all for the running away stuff too, but Jake and Reese thought it was sissy. If they had their way, they'd walk around with Jedi swords on their belts all the time. It was a good thing Lagi had a no weapons rule, even for pretend ones.

She had finished her wind song and started another piece, based on the sounds she'd heard when out on her trips with Mama. The city had a lot of sounds, from the clunking of the garbage trucks to the shaking of the els. It would be a big piece, a symphony, with every instrument in the orchestra plus special sounds from a synthesizer. She hoped she could work on it as a composition project for Juilliard, but if not, she would do it anyway, just to make herself happy.

Monday would be Labor Day, so it was her family's last three-day weekend together for a while. Daddy had promised something wonderful, but hadn't let on any more about it. Snooping around, Jake had discovered there were costumes, but Daddy had caught him before he'd seen much. She'd find out the next morning. Daddy had warned her not to work too late on her music, because they would all have to be up early.

The breakfast Daddy served was weird, even for Daddy. The turkey sausage had been dyed green, like Easter eggs. It tasted okay, but she had to close her eyes to eat it. The bread was baked in strange shapes and there was fruit she had never seen before, but it was good. The costume that Daddy gave her to put on was weird too. It was a long dress. She had some of those in black for concerts, but this one was different colors depending on how she looked at it, and it rustled and the colors rippled as she walked. She had soft matching shoes like ballet slippers.

Jake and Reese were in shirts and pants in a green and purple pattern that hurt her eyes. They had high leather boots and bands that went across their chests from the left shoulder to the right hip, with strange patches and glitter on them. They also had little axes that looked sharp, but had rubber blades that couldn't really cut anything. They had played with them so much that the edges were beginning to bend.

Daddy was all in black except for the green jewels that glinted from his belt. Mama wore a dress made out of the same strange cloth that was in Lily's costume, except that Mama's was sleeveless and flowed down to her ankles from a ring around her neck, of the same jewels that Daddy had on his belt. She had beautiful shiny sandals with glittery straps on her feet.

* * *

When everyone was in the car, Daddy drove to the bridge that would take them to New Jersey and then a little way on the turnpike, before taking smaller roads away from the traffic. Lily could see a field in the distance, with huge tents topped by colorful flags that didn't look like any of the ones at the United Nations. Daddy parked in a field next to the tents, with a lot of other cars, and led the way to the entrance which had a big sign saying, "Alien Renaissance Faire."

Everyone was in costume. Some people were painted different colors and others had horns or squishy tentacles. There were musicians walking around too, playing what sounded like lutes and recorders, but looked like lizards and snakes. Daddy paid to get in and they each got a medal to hang around their necks. Jake said they looked like pirate booty but Reese thought they looked more like magic amulets.

There were booths everywhere. Reese ran to one that said, "Alien Art." There was a machine that could be filled with goop that turned a whole different bunch of colors when it hit some weird paper. The paintings were hung tho dry in the sun and had to be picked up later. Reese kept asking Daddy if it was time yet.

There was food too, a little bit like Daddy's breakfast. It tasted pretty good, but a lot of it was messy and gross. In a theater with no roof on it, there were little plays in alien languages, with with a guy in a hat that looked like a pizza, translating for the audience.

In a big open space there were battles. There were lots of different weapons and Reese asked Daddy to take pictures so he could draw them later. Jake liked the noises the aliens made when they were hit and kept asking how to spell them, so he could put them in a comic.

In the afternoon, Daddy said the family was going to do something different. Mama asked him what he was up to, but he wouldn't tell her. He had everyone go to a tent we hadn't been to before. There was a man there in a fancy suit with a red sash. He asked Daddy if he was ready. Mama wanted to know ready for what. Then Daddy got down on one knee and asked Mama if she would marry him again.

Mama started to cry, but she wasn't sad. She told Daddy, "Always." Then the man with the red sash put crowns made of yellow flowers on Mama's and Daddy's heads. He gave them some bowls to drink from and played one of the snake recorders while they danced. Jake and Reese and Lily danced too. Then Daddy gave Mama a ring with a big green jewel like the one on her dress and his belt, and a little scroll. No one except Mama saw what it said, but Daddy told Mama that Peter did the lettering for him.

Then Mama and Daddy kissed. Reese and Jake wrinkled their noses and said, "Ew," but it was nice, kind of like when the prince kisses the princess at the end of a Disney story, except Mama and Daddy were more like the king and queen. Mama started to cry again and so did Daddy. After that, Jake and Reese wrinkled their noses again and said they wanted to go see another battle. Mama and Daddy took them, but they held each other's held hands all the way there.


	128. Chapter 128

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 128

For Kate, it was a good thing thing that election day came after the twins' birthday. It had been a busy two months. Even away from Albany, she had taken every meeting with her constituents and kept on top of her campaign. Every so often an old accusation would surface that would have to be overcome by a vast internet outpouring of the truth. Castle was a master of that, but he was busy not only trying to finish the current volume in the Holy Snake Oil saga, but working on a book based on Peter's story as well. Rick had given her a crash course in social media manipulation, but she'd also hired a very brilliant and also very young, college student to cope with the resurfacing of muck.

Lily had been going to the pre-college program at Juilliard for two months. She had insisted that she could take the subway back and forth by herself on Saturdays, but Rick refused to buy it and Kate wasn't crazy about the idea either. If Kate wasn't home, Rick would be busy riding herd on the twins, so they'd settled on a car service. Even so, Rick had made sure Lily always got the same driver and that Alexis had run a deep background check on him. Lily was having fun and found her fellow students to be both nice and helpful. Kate had an idea that might change, as Lily's talent became fully evident, but for the moment, it was comforting. Lagi had also adjusted Lily's program at Latu's Trails to provide an academic load she could handle in tandem with her extra instruction. She'd still be getting everything she needed to stay at or even beyond her grade level, but he'd tried to minimize the pressure on her as much as possible. For that, both Rick and Kate were extremely grateful. It didn't hurt that Rick had upped his support for the school, either.

The boys' birthday had fallen on a Thursday, but the celebration was actually held on Sunday, so Lily could attend. As usual, Jake wanted something outrageously spectacular, not easy to manage with the hubbub of the upcoming election. Martha offered a solution to the problem, staging a swashbuckling production by the children's workshop at her school, followed by catered refreshments for all of the guests. Of course Rick picked up the bill, but was relieved of the major burden of organizing the event. The boys were thrilled and their parents remained reasonably sane.

* * *

Two days later, there was nothing for Kate to do but wait for the polls to close and the returns to come in. Kate had given a thank you lunch for her supporters that afternoon, but that evening, she and Castle would watch all the election news together at home. As in previous years, they'd be lucky if Kate's race even merited a mention. Liz Ware had declined to run again, and her term would be up on the twentieth of January. There were two new candidates, both women. Lindsey Teal, from Kate's own party, was a decorated veteran who had lost both legs in combat. She'd served multiple terms in the House of Representatives, working her way up to chair of the Armed Services Committee. Her opponent, Lucinda Hay, had been governor of a southern state, then served briefly as U.N. ambassador. Kate considered both candidates qualified and wouldn't have serious misgivings if either one was elected, but her heart was with warrior woman Lindsey Teal. As a fellow traveler, Esposito had jumped into the fray of the campaign, distributing signature teal colored shirts to everyone he knew, and occasional strangers on the street, and insisting they wear them. The shirts were on a lot of the staff at Fill the Cracks and on everyone at RCI as well.

Lily suggested that Kate should have had a color of her own, purple of course, but Kate decided that could wait for a run at a much higher office, if there was one. But as befitted her law enforcement background, her buttons and signs did use a lot of blue.

Castle had prepared for a long night of pundits vamping until there was actually something to report. He'd put out a platter of fruit, Brie, and light crispy crackers. He'd also made a huge bowl of popcorn.

The polls in New York wouldn't even close until nine P.M., but Lily had wanted to stay up to make sure both Kate and Lindsey Teal won. Both her parents had nixed the idea, but Kate did promise to wake her daughter when the results were finally in. At two A.M. Kate was drowsing against Castle's chest when it was projected that Lindsey Teal would be the next president. They hadn't seen the winner of Kate's race announced, unless they'd missed it on a crawl across the bottom of the screen. Castle took to the internet for the tenth time that night to see if he could find the results of the New York State Senate Races, and finally confirmed that Kate had retained her seat. After a sleepy congratulatory kiss, they kept Kate's promise to Lily, then dragged themselves into bed.

* * *

The smug Castle children had been packed off to school and Rick and Kate were strongly contemplating returning to bed for another hour or two of sleep, when a familiar looking visitor showed up at the back door. Her hair was graying and her face more deeply lined, but there was no mistaking Rita, Hunt's spy spouse. Her expression was far too serious for casual greetings, prompting Rick to silently wave her into the house.

"Rick, there's no easy way to tell you this," Rita declared without preamble, "Hunt's gone."

"You mean he's disappeared?" Castle asked.

Rita put a hand on her stepson's shoulder. "No, I mean he's dead. It wasn't the dramatic ending you might have imagined. He wasn't shot, or blown up or poisoned, but his past did catch up with him. An old bullet bullet fragment moved and blocked a blood vessel to his heart while he slept. He just never woke up."

Kate pressed against Castle's side, twining her fingers with his. "So what happens now?" Castle wondered. "I mean, he's been officially dead for years, or at least Kiley McDermott has. Can we even have a funeral?"

Rita shook her head. "Not publicly. He's already ashes. I have some of them here." Rita handed Rick a small earthenware container. "His records are being systematically wiped. It will be as if Jackson Hunt never existed. Officially, he never did. If you want to do something private, you can. That's why I've given you all that's left of him. But I have to get out of here. I still shouldn't be seen anywhere near you."

Castle kissed her cheek. "Thank you for coming. You must be grieving yourself."

Rita sighed. "I've been prepared for this from the moment Jackson and I met. It was inevitable. It's inevitable for all of us. It's just a matter of when. Jackson beat the odds at least twenty times over. Whatever you may think of his methods, he saved a lot of lives in the process, including your daughter's. I think we can be grateful he lived to do that, and didn't die alone in a hole somewhere."

"I suppose we can," Castle agreed. "I'll contact his brother Stephen - if you think that would be safe now." He pointed to the receptacle Rita had given him. "He might know of a special place these should go."

"If you're quiet about it, that should be all right," Rita counseled. She touched his cheek. "Be well."


	129. Chapter 129

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 129

It always freaked Castle out to look at his uncle; Stephen McDermott and Jackson Hunt looked so alike. Stephen's expression on Castle's tablet was sober, more than aware that Castle wouldn't Skype just to say hello. "Has something happened to my brother?"

Castle nodded. "I'm sorry. But in the end he went peacefully, if that's any comfort."

Stephen stroked his beard. I'm not sure it is. I think Kiley always wanted to go down swinging. But then, you really hardly knew your father."

"Sadly, that's true," Castle agreed. He held up the container of ashes. "He was cremated, or whatever his employers would call it, and I was wondering if you knew of any special resting place he'd want for these."

"He never said anything about it, not even in our last meeting, but I could speculate," Stephen offered. "Kiley was a battle buff and he particularly liked the ones where the American side won. He was especially interested in the battle in Stillwater New York, near Saratoga. American General Horatio Gates defeated British General John Burgoyne. The surrender to Gates took place in Saratoga, but most of the fighting was in Stillwater. I suspect Kiley would enjoy joining with the spirits of fallen comrades there."

"I remember that area from a school field trip with my older daughter. It's just along the Hudson and it's beautiful. He could do a lot worse. I could meet you there," Castle proposed. "We could find a good spot together."

Stephen nodded slowly. "I'd like that."

* * *

The breeze off the Hudson River Valley brought a damp chill to the November weather, but the fall colors blazed. On Bemis Heights, Stephen and Rick stood next to two canons on red field carriages, staring into the mists below. Here the tide of the war had turned. Under General Gates, the local operation had been led by General Benedict Arnold, before he'd betrayed his infant country. American soldiers put up strong defenses on the river to block the advance of the British forces from the South. "This is the place," Stephen decided. Rick drew the small ceramic jar from the deep pocket of his McDermott tartan wool jacket and handed it to Stephen, who opened it, letting the wind take the contents to join whatever heroic ghosts still lingered. Stephen spoke part of a traditional Irish blessing.

" _May the blessing of God's soft rain be on you, falling gently on your head, refreshing your soul with the sweetness of little flowers newly blooming. May the strength of the winds of Heaven bless you, carrying the rain to wash your spirit clean, sparkling after in the sunlight."_

Without another word, the two men left the site.

* * *

Even in front of the fire at the Fieldston house, a chill remained in Rick's bones as he and Kate snuggled under a woolen throw on the couch. "I didn't think I'd feel it so deeply," Castle confessed. "It's not as if he was like a real father, there for me when I was growing up. He did rescue Alexis and me, but he was the reason we were taken in the first place. And he killed I don't know how many men to do it. It didn't even bother him. It was like the whole thing was just some game. And you remember how he manipulated us to take out Gemini. But in his own way, he still seemed to care about his family."

"That's why he stayed away Babe. Even if he was an assassin, he thought he was doing it for the right reasons. When it was necessary, he came through. That part of him, that faithfulness, he passed onto you. And somehow without having him or any father around, you learned how to be a great one - and a pretty decent husband too."

"Took me a couple of tries on that last part," Castle admitted, "but I guess I finally got the hang of it."

Kate grinned and caressed him beneath the blanket. "Yes, you did."

"I guess I do have a lot to be thankful for," Rick mused. "Speaking of which, Thanksgiving is coming. Any special ideas for our celebration this year?"

Kate's mouth gaped. "You're asking me? That's your area. What's bouncing around in that twisted imagination of yours?"

"Absolutely nothing," Castle admitted. "My mother is staring in a production on a cruise over the holiday, and your dad will be with her. I believe Alexis, Bernard, and Sergei are with Sarah and Tim this year, so we're just talking nuclear family. Maybe we should let the kids plan it out."

"Jake would have aliens dressed as pilgrims attacking to steal the turkey," Kate pointed out.

"So we provide some guidelines. We can keep it confined to humans, but it would still be interesting," Castle insisted.

"Alright Castle, we'll see what they come up with," Kate conceded.

* * *

Castle was surprised to discover that based on a study of the first Thanksgiving, at Latu's Trails, the twins, especially Reese, thought it would be fun to imitate what the pilgrims actually ate at that time. They were particularly enthusiastic about the idea of venison, apparently not associating it with Bambi. Lily had asked for clams, also part of the original menu. Everyone agreed on squash, pumpkin, berries, and corn, but there would be no turkey. Rick began to wonder if somehow their grandfather's love of history had been passed down. That wouldn't be a bad thing, especially since they were worried more about food than battles, at least earthly ones.

Obtaining venison was no problem. It had become increasingly popular in specialty stores and was easily available online. For Lily's clams, Castle proposed a clamming expedition at an inlet not far from the Castles' beach house. The weather would have been much better for that activity in August, but bundled up, they managed to snag more than enough to make Lily happy, before returning to the city.

Since Alexis had normally taken on the task of providing pies, Lily tried to fill in for her older sister, helping her mother fill the air with the scent of pumpkin spice. The twins were assigned to mash baked squash, which they did with great gusto, leaving orange dots around the kitchen. Reese gave his opinion that the spots looked really cool, when Castle handed him and Jake wet paper towels to clean up the mess, but both twins groaningly complied.

Lily had written themes for both Native Americans and the Pilgrims, which she wove together into a short piece that she played on her grand piano, before dinner. At the table, the twins balked at holding hands to say what they were grateful for, but gave their contributions nonetheless. They spoke in turn.

"I'm grateful for the cool characters I get to draw," Reese proclaimed, tracing imaginary lines in the air with his finger.

"And I get to make up adventures," Jake added, "and Daddy and Mama don't even care if they're gross."

Lily closed her eyes and thought for a moment, before offering that she was grateful for great teachers and learning more every day about music. She was also glad that Daddy let her play her piano, even when he was writing, and that she and Mama could go shopping together.

Kate surveyed the table as young eyes looked up at her. She told Lily, Jake, and Reese, in turn, how happy she was for the chance to be with them. Taking Rick's hand, she added that she was grateful for a loving and incredibly supportive husband, ignoring the winces from the twins at what they considered mush.

Finally it was Castle's turn. He felt overwhelmed, his writer's eloquence swamped in a wave of emotion. Swiping at his eyes, he could only exclaim that he had the best family in the 'Verse.

"So do we get to eat the deer now?" Jake demanded.

Taking a calming breath, Castle picked up a carefully honed knife to attack the contents of the meat platter. "You absolutely do."


	130. Chapter 130

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 130

Castle had mixed feelings about Christmas. There was all the usual joy of gifting and family celebrations, but its approach also brought the day when the State Senate would be back in session, closer. That would mean that Kate would be spending a lot more time in Albany and less with him and the kids. He was determined, however, to make the best he could of the time remaining. The twins were old enough now that the unbreakable ornaments that had graced the lower branches could be stowed in keepsake boxes, the marks from sticky fingers and baby teeth consigned to memory. The tree would glow from top to bottom, like the first one Rick had ever shared with Kate.

Rick had been unenthusiastic at best, about mounting ladders to hang garlands near the ceiling. They were lower this year, but sparkled with battery powered LED lights. The train still ran under the tree, but the village surrounding it was strangely reminiscent of Ice Planet Toth.

The boys had begun to clamor for a puppy. Castle couldn't picture training one amidst the chaos of the Castle household, especially with Kate gone. An older dog wasn't out of the question, though. Both he and Kate still fondly remembered caring for Royal, the golden retriever who'd helped solve his favorite human's murder, but Rick was thinking more along the lines of a rescue dog, preferably the ugliest possible mutt. He was pretty sure it would immediately become the star of a Jake and Reese graphic opus, and possibly inspire a piece or two out of Lily. Immediately the novelty song of dogs barking "Jingle Bells," began to play in his head. Lily could certainly do better than that, although he wasn't sure she could beat "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer," in popularity with her brothers. She was preparing for her first holiday concert at Juilliard anyway, she wouldn't have that much time, until after she performed in it.

The Castle Christmas cards had been different this year. There had still been family contributions of verse, but Reese had done the artwork and the lettering had been provided by Peter Nance. The Nance family had stayed in touch, and Heidi and Greg were anticipating their first Christmas with Peter since his disappearance, with both joy and trepidation. Rick fervently wished them all the best.

RCI was short handed. The Ryans had decided to take Sarah Grace and Nicholas to Ireland, to visit with the extended families of both Kevin and Jenny. Esposito and Maria had chosen to take Manuel on a short jaunt to the warmth of Puerto Rico. But the workload had fallen off as well for the season, and Alexis and Roselyn seemed to be managing fine. They could always call in Big Jake and Reese if they needed them.

Given all the changes that had taken place, Rick decided could handle one more. He resolved, pending Kate's approval, if he valued his man parts, that he would bring home a dog for Christmas. He displayed the website of the shelter on the big screen in his office and began to choose what furry visage called out to be a Castle.

* * *

Kate examined the screen capture. "Really? This is the dog you want?"

"Just look at those eyes, Kate," Rick beseeched.

"I am," Kate retorted, "they're two different colors and bloodshot. And one of his ears looks like it's falling off."

"Exactly!" Castle exclaimed. "Was there ever a canine so in need of the refuge of the Castle castle? He's so repulsive, he's beautiful. And I know the boys will love him. He'll give Reese something interesting to draw and Jake endless ideas about alien intervention in doggy development. And Lily will want to cure his broken heart with song. He'll mostly be my problem anyway. It's not like you'll have to cope with him when you're in Albany."

"Now that's emotional blackmail Babe," Kate objected. "That's out of bounds and you know it. But I do concede your point. The kids would adore a runt like this. Lily's responsible enough already, probably too much so for her age, but helping to care for him could be instructive for the twins. If he's still available, we can adopt him."

* * *

Melody, the volunteer at the shelter, gazed at Rick with a grin. You want to adopt that one? I was hoping someone would. He's almost down to the wire for - you know, and everyone who's been through here has been bypassing him for the cute ones. He's had all his shots and he's already been neutered."

Castle stopped his hands just before involuntarily covering himself. "Great. Anything I need to know? Special diet?"

"Cory? No. He'd eat the buttons off your shirt. You might want to put anything breakable he might grab to chew on, out of the reach of his teeth until he gets used to your house."

Castle immediately realized he'd have to rethink the tree. Maybe there was some kind of indoor doggy fence he could put around it. Occasionally, he'd thought about something like that for the twins. He'd have to find out - and fast.

"He's good with what we usually feed the dogs here," Melody continued. "You might be able to upgrade it a little. We run on a very tight budget. You'll want to get a good vet for him. I can give you a list of referrals."

Castle began to make a mental list of everything he'd need for the new member of the household. He had a feeling the clerks at the local pet superstore were about to become his new best friends. "Can I fill out the paperwork, then pick him up later when I have everything set up for him?" Castle inquired.

"Actually, you'll have to," Melody replied. "We run background checks on our adoptive families to make sure there isn't any history of animal neglect or cruelty. Some owners are serial abusers."

Castle thought of some of the women he'd seen at Fill the Cracks. Serial abuse was hardly confined to animals. If there was a bottom to the depths to which humans could fall, he didn't think he'd seen it yet. The shelter's precautions made sense. "Animal abuse is one thing of which I've never been guilty. That will work out fine. You can text me when you've done your due diligence," Castle agreed.

"The saleswoman at Pet Wonderland was more than happy to help Castle prepare for Cory. She'd been an adoptive dog mom six times herself and had a deep understanding of what he was getting himself into. She studied the picture of Cory. Wow! Usually I can tell what breeds a dog has in him, but with this one, unless you get his DNA done, it's anyone's guess. He does have some age on him, so you'll want this," she pointed to a twenty-five pound bag of food. Castle grunted as he stowed it in the cart. "He'll need a bed. You'll also need toys for him, dispensers for food and water so he can get it on demand, treats that will clean his teeth, a collar, a leash, an ID tag, and a grooming kit for his coat. That will start you off anyway. There may be some other things that your vet will recommend. And the fencing for around your Christmas tree? We have a whole display in the back. Depending on the size of your car, you might want to have that delivered. For an up-charge, we can get it to you today."

"Great!" Castle, replied, taking a deep breath. "Lead the way."


	131. Chapter 131

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 131

Rather than trying to make Cory a surprise on Christmas morning, Castle had decided to bring the dog home as soon as the shelter deemed him and his family suitable. Bravely, Kate took all three kids to the Christmas program at Fill the Cracks, while Rick readied the house and went to pick up the new addition to the household.

Cory did not like the carrier Castle had been urged to add to his purchases at the pet supermarket, but was coaxed inside by a rawhide bone. He barked nervously when Castle put the carrier in the backseat, but calmed immediately when Rick turned on the radio. "So you like music," Rick noted. "That could be a good thing around Lily. You'll get plenty of it. So that and rawhide bones are your pleasures. We'll figure out the rest as we go."

Kate had not yet returned with Lily and the twins when Rick and Cory arrived at the house, giving the dog a chance to explore his surroundings. Rick had closed the doors to the bedrooms, but there was still plenty of house left. Cory immediately showed curiosity worthy of a Castle, sniffing every corner. His ears pricked, as much as they could, at the sound of voices at the front door. For safety, Castle picked him up, to make introductions. Cory, apparently finding the scents of Kate and the Castle children already familiar, was anxious to lick his greetings. Lily was a little unsure, but the twins responded enthusiastically, asking if Cory could be in their room. Immediately realizing a new motivation for the twins to keep neater environs, Castle responded that could only happen if anything Cory might pick up was off the floor was put away. The twins ran off immediately to prepare for their new friend, and Lily asked if it would be all right if she went to her piano.

After his experience with Cory in the car, Castle was curious about how the dog would react to the soaring sounds of the grand. The dog was entranced. Almost from the first note, Cory sat on the floor near the instrument, watching and listening intently. As much as the twins coaxed and petted him when they returned from their clean up operation, he refused to go with them, until Lily stopped playing.

"I think Lily has just found her number one fan," Castle observed to Kate.

"As long as she doesn't have to negotiate for the release of hostages or take out a restraining order, that's great," Kate quipped.

In the next couple of days both Kate and Rick noticed that Cory had not only learned the routines of the household, but was eager to enforce them. "I think he must have some sheepdog in him," Castle speculated, as the twins were ably herded to the table for lunch. "He certainly has a talent for keeping things organized."

"We could use him in the Senate," Kate remarked.

The twins looked up from their mini-ravioli in dismay. "You're not taking Cory to Albany, are you Mama?" Reese asked.

"No," Kate assured him, "much as I might like to. Only service dogs are allowed in the chamber and I don't think he'd like it anyway. After being around you guys, the speeches would be way too boring."

* * *

Cory quickly caught the excitement of Christmas Eve. The twins had insisted he have his own stocking, and there were presents under the tree for him as well. The cookies and milk for Santa would have to occupy a higher location than usual and Castle would be delivering the presents to the recipients by reaching over the fence, but everything else was in keeping with tradition. Alexis and Sergei had arrived with Bernard. They would have another Christmas with Tim and Sarah Kasparov in January, but Bernard was greedy for whatever loot he could gather under any calendar.

When every present had been received, the last gingerbread astronaut dismembered, and the last drop of hot chocolate and cider drunk, Sergei carried a sleepy Bernard to the car and Cory dutifully herded the twins to bed and made sure Lily was settled. Kate and Rick filled the stockings, then gratefully climbed between the sheets themselves. Cory, sentinel of the castle, curled up in his bed in the turret, where Rick had put it after the dog had tried sleeping on Kate's exercise mat.

Castle was jolted awake by Cory's frantic barking. As he and Kate emerged from their bedrooms, Lily and the twins were coming into the hallway as well. "Do you think Santa's here?" Jake asked excitedly.

"I didn't hear anyone on the roof," Castle responded. "I don't think he's made it to our house yet. Cory might be smelling a coyote. There have been some seen around here lately, probably looking for warmer places to make their dens for the winter."

"Cool!" Jake exclaimed.

"Not if they eat people's pets," Kate rejoined.

"Maybe I should bring one of my little keyboards upstairs to play something to make Cory feel better," Lily suggested.

"Good idea," Castle agreed.

Cory was up on the window seat, nose against the glass of the window. Castle gazed out to see if he could spot anything in the glow of the Christmas lights. "Kate, I think there's a fire down the street. I can see orange in the front window. With the streetlight, I can just make out some smoke."

Kate followed his gaze. "You're right! Cory must be smelling it. I'll call 911."

"And we should make sure no one's in there." Castle added.

Quickly pulling on coats over their pajamas, Kate and Rick urged the kids to hold on to Cory and stay back, while Rick pounded on the door. No lights came on. The whole house was dark except for flames. After a couple of minutes, a siren screamed in the distance. Kate pulled Castle back. "The fire department will be here any second. There's nothing else we can do."

They returned to where the Lily and the boys were holding a still barking Cory at a distance. Squatting on his haunches, Castle scratched Cory behind the ears. "Who's a good boy? Cory's a good boy." He spied that Lily still held a tiny keyboard. "Play something for him, Sweetheart."

Lily picked out the first tune she could think of, "Silent Night," and softly sang along. Slowly the dog calmed, and herded his family home.

* * *

After the joyful revelation of stocking contents and a breakfast of Christmas waffles, Castle scanned the local news on his tablet. "It says here that the Fairfields left the lights on their tree on, when they went to a party last night. They had some heirloom ones they inherited from Mandy Fairfield's parents and they shorted out and set the tree on fire. A smoke detector went off, but there wasn't anyone to hear it. Maybe Cory's doggy ears caught the sound. Anyway, no one was hurt and the fire department put out the fire before much more than the front room went up. There was still a lot of damage, but the house is salvageable and the Fairfields will be staying with Mandy's sister while it's being repaired. There is, of course, a quote from the fire captain giving a stern warning about Christmas lights, and fire danger in general.

"That is his job, Castle. Better to prevent fires than have to put them out. You know," Kate mused, "if it hadn't been for Cory, the Fairfields would have lost their house completely. The houses on that side of the street are close enough so the fire might even have spread. Someone could have been hurt or killed."

"So, surrounded by our aura, another member of the Castle clan becomes a hero," Castle declared. "Face it, Kate, it was inevitable."


	132. Chapter 132

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 132

Kate and Rick had opted for a quiet New Years Eve. There was a party going full blast at the Old Haunt, but Rick couldn't find much enthusiasm for the idea of attending. This would be his last celebration with Kate before the next Senate session began, and he wanted some time alone with her. Then there was the issue of getting a sitter, and leaving Cory without his two adult humans. He might have considered Sarah Grace, who was both old enough to supervise his reasonably self sufficient children, and young enough that her father would not permit anything but the most casual group dating, but the Ryans were still in Ireland. Once the kids were in bed, the idea of cuddling on the couch with Kate and just watching an old movie seemed endlessly appealing. Rick and Kate had agreed on _It Happened One Night_. The wacky rendition of opposites attracting seemed to fit their own lives in many ways, not the least of which, Castle noted to himself, was a great pair of legs on the leading lady. They also had their own walls of Jericho, which had taken a lot more than a trumpet to breech. The wealth in the movie was on the wrong side of the relationship, but at least the hero was a writer, if more like Rook than Castle.

Jake had begged for the opportunity to watch the crystal ball fall at midnight, eagerly anticipating an explosion of shards, but Castle had explained to the disappointed youngster that although it fell, it didn't break. For himself, he couldn't believe there was still a _New Year's Rockin' Eve_ so many years after Dick Clark's passing and the departure of Ryan Seacrest. Still, it continued to preside over the revelers in Times Square with acts performing live, wardrobe malfunctions, and technical failures, as part of the show. The idea of freezing his butt off there had never appealed much to him or to Kate, and even less so as they became older, but it was comforting that some institutions continued even as the generations changed.

Not even bothering to stuff popcorn in his mouth, Castle watched the dogged pursuit of Claudette Colbert by Clark Gable. He'd been there. For four long, frustrating, years he'd been there, and even after Kate had finally materialized out of a storm, it had been even more years before she'd stopped trying to pull away. There were advantages to some time and distance. He would have been happy to forgo the morning stiffness and the need for reading glasses, but to settle in on a holiday evening with the woman he loved at his side, was worth everything that had led there.

Rick checked his watch. It was almost midnight. He popped the cork on the Dom Perignon that had been chilling in the ice bucket in front of them and filled two crystal flutes in anticipation of a toast. The seconds ticked down. As the second hand hit vertical, explosions sounded outside. Cory began barking wildly. "Sonofabitch!" Kate exclaimed. "What is it with those idiots? Shooting off guns to celebrate is illegal in the city and they're going to wake up every kid in the neighborhood."

Cory had come bounding down the stairs from the turret to check on his charges, and the twins, followed by Lily, wandered in rubbing their eyes. "Was there a shootout outside?" Jake inquired hopefully.

""Probably just some idiots firing off things they shouldn't," Kate replied, her eyes still narrowed in anger.

A still trembling Cory rubbed his nose against each of his humans, assuring himself they were intact. The twins got down on the floor to pet him. It was clear that any romantic intentions Rick and Kate might have had to start the New Year, would be on hold for a while.

"I'm going out to see who fired those shots," Kate declared. "I'd like to have a few words with them."

"We could just call the cops," Castle suggested.

"Whoever drew the holiday short straw has more serious things to deal with tonight, Castle. Besides, by the time they get here, those jerks will probably be long gone. I won't be long, and if it makes you feel better, I'll take my own gun."

"Outstanding!" Jake exclaimed.

Retrieving her pistol from her fingerprint keyed gun safe and tucking it into her coat pocket, Kate went out to survey the neighborhood, walking in the direction from which the sound had seemed to emanate. Eyes scanning for figures up to stupid shenanigans, she almost tripped on the body lying across the sidewalk. Instinctively, she bent down and felt the neck for a pulse. There was none. In the dim light of a streetlamp, she could see the dark stain that had spread across the chest and spilled onto the cement. It was unlikely the victim had enough blood left for a heart to pump. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. She would be calling the cops after all.

* * *

"This is supposed to be a safe neighborhood!" Castle raged. "Now we have a murder victim not two blocks from here!"

"Calm down Babe, It's the first homicide in the fiftieth precinct in five years," Kate reminded him. "They don't even know how to handle it. They're asking for help from the forty-sixth, where they have more expertise."

"There's some pretty heavy duty expertise in this house," Castle pointed out.

"Castle in this case, I'm nothing more than a citizen who found the body," Kate reminded him. "We can both testify as to when we heard the shots, to help them develop their time line, but that's the best we can do."

"Do you know who the victim is?" Castle asked. "Did he look familiar to you?"

"Not at all. He wasn't one of the people who showed up when the power was out, and I've never seen him around. This is New York. It's not like we know all our neighbors, but I think he was a visitor."

"Hmm," Castle considered. "If we could find out why he was here, that might lead to why he was murdered."

"Castle," Kate insisted, "we're not going to figure out anything. That's not my job anymore and it's not yours either. We've finally got the kids and Cory down again. Let's just go to bed."

"We never even saw the end of the movie," Castle complained.

"You already know the end of the movie," Kate reminded him. "The wall comes down. But if we don't go to bed, we can't even begin to explore what might have come next."

"Good point!" Castle agreed. "And there is no better way to start a New Year. Maybe you can even wear that Christmas gift I gave you, the one that wasn't under the tree for the kids to see."

Kate rounded her lips with the tip of her tongue. "I could do that. So why don't you get ready and get into bed. I'll put it on and meet you there."

Castle pressed his lips to hers. "Deal!"

* * *

Kate ran her fingers over the impossibly soft silk. The pale lavender nightgown enhanced every curve, as if it had been made for her, which knowing Castle, it probably had. It covered more than it showed, but satin ribbons would allow revelation of all with the simple pull on a bow. And even after their years of marriage, Castle was still endlessly creative about when and how to tug on things. She emerged from the bathroom to find him waiting between the sheets, his profile still beautiful in the light of the candles that were the room's only illumination. She leaned over him, their lips meeting softly. He wrapped the end of a ribbon around his finger and slowly drew it toward him.

Kate's gown gaped open, exposing still firm, brown tipped globes, to his expectant eyes and mouth. Her husky alto flowed over him, with the lure of honey. "Happy New Year, Babe."


	133. Chapter 133

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 133

With New Year's Day falling on a Monday, Lily and the twins were on vacation for the rest of the week and Kate would be starting her Senate session at the beginning of the following one. Rick and Kate had decided to take advantage of the timing by sleeping in a little in the mornings, at least until Cory demanded a walk. Castle had given some thought to fencing off part of the grounds to give the dog a place to run around, but the earth was hard and often snow covered. That project could wait until spring. Walks were fun anyway, if cold. He usually took at least one of the children along as practice for when they would be doing it themselves, but since the shooting, he preferred to solo.

It had been a few days since the murder, and the tape had disappeared from the crime scene, but Rick and Cory still took the other side of the street. Cory still barked as they went by, too, and Castle assumed he could detect the blood. Because she'd found the body, and as a courtesy to a former police captain, Kate had been able to glean a few details of the investigation. No robbery had been involved. The victim still had his wallet and cell phone, revealing him to be Shelton Whitby. He was a resident of Anaheim Hills in Southern California, and as far as anyone could discover, had no connections in Fieldston. Obviously, he had at least one. The houses in the neighborhood had been canvassed, but no one admitted to knowing him. His history had been traced, but the records only went back seven years. A further check revealed that the Social Security number belonging to Shelton Whitby had been assigned to a child who had died at the age of three months. He had been living under a stolen identity. The only match on his fingerprints was to the DMV records in California and there was no match for his DNA. The detectives from the fiftieth and the forty-sixth were stymied. They were attempting to work with the Anaheim police department, but a dead body in New York was far from the top of the priority list of the California cops.

Castle had tried to put it out of his mind, but a murder so close to his children wouldn't go away. Esposito and Maria were back, and Ryan would be shortly, so Alexis' work load wasn't as heavy. With the proximity of her family to the crime, she was anxious to delve into Whitby as best she could, but so far nothing had turned up. It was possible they would have to send someone to California. Given that the temperature in the Los Angeles area was running at about eighty five degrees, as opposed to the thirties in New York, Castle didn't imagine an operative would consider it a hard gig.

Castle picked up the mail on the way back into the house, his eyes brightening at the sight of a thick envelope. After stowing his coat and Cory's leash, he sat down in the breakfast room to read the sheaf of papers over a cup of coffee. Kate was already there, savoring a mug of her own. "What have you got?"

"This is the results of Cory's DNA analysis."

"Oh, the insatiable Castle curiosity. You even needed background on the dog."

"Nothing of the sort!" Castle retorted. "The vet suggested it. She's getting a copy too. She was concerned that since his breed isn't obvious, he might have some predisposition to an illness we wouldn't be on guard against without knowing about his genetics. And yes - okay - I was curious too. According to this, he is a remarkable melange."

"Like how?"

"Well I was right about the herding instinct. He is part Shetland Sheep dog. There are also three different kinds of hound in here, which accounts for his olfactory excellence, and six other breeds."

"And are there any genetic problems?" Kate inquired.

"That part is definitely in vet language, but there is the thing about the eyes. That's not a problem and we already knew about it anyway. Then it looks like he might get high cholesterol. Maybe the poor guy will need a more low fat dog food than the Pet Supermarket recommended. As one who has suffered Mother's slings and arrows of dietary advice, I could commiserate. I suppose Dr. Foster will let us know about that. Otherwise, this looks pretty good. He is a true example of hybrid vigor."

"Well he's definitely a hybrid and I wouldn't doubt his vigor. He can keep up with the twins better than we can. So, in the short time we have left with the all the younger members of the Castle clan in the castle, did you have any special plans for the day?"

"Honestly, no," Castle admitted. "I have writing to do. The boys are working on their first "Adventures of Cory, Crime Fighting Canine," comic book and Lily has the new piece she's been composing. I thought we'd just be homebodies, maybe even order in."

"I was hoping I'd get a chance to binge watch the reboot of Robocop," Kate admitted. "So it sounds good to me."

"Great! If I can get my chapter finished, maybe I'll join you. Supposedly they made the new suit out of some cool super metal. I'd like to see it in action. Also, his new partner is supposed to be really cute."

"Castle," Kate warned.

"Hey, it's a robot too, with magnetic levitation. Aubrey Plaza is voicing it."

"She's done a robotic voice before, hasn't she?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, on that cop show that ripped off the Nikki Heat books," Castle replied. "But I don't hold a grudge."

* * *

Castle was about to refill the popcorn bowl when Alexis called. "Dad, I talked to the limo driver that brought Whitby into the city from Kennedy. He said he asked Whitby if he was in town on business or pleasure, just to make conversation. Anyway, he said Whitby told him he was going to be looking up some family he hadn't seen for a while, but he would be staying at a hotel so he could surprise them."

"But the police asked everyone in the neighborhood if they knew him him," Castle recalled. "No one admitted to ever seeing him before. If he was here to visit family, why would they do that? Either someone around here was lying, or Whitby was."

"Or both," Alexis suggested. "But limo drivers are kind of like bartenders. For some reason people tend to tell them their secrets. Maybe because they think they'll never see them again or they have so many customers they won't remember. Anyway, that's all I have so far. Big Reese has the flu, but big Jake is willing to go to California if we want him to. He didn't like the idea of a shooting so close to his namesake."

"Go ahead and set up the trip," Castle instructed. "make it at least business class so he has some room for his legs. Get him a good hotel too, not one of the tourist traps near Disneyland. But if he does want to go see the mouse, ask him to bring back ears for the kids."

"Just the kids, Dad?" Alexis queried skeptically.

Castle cleared his throat. "I already have a pair."


	134. Chapter 134

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 134

Castle absently reached down to scratch Cory behind the ears. After the past two weeks, the house felt deserted, especially with Kate gone. She was only a short plane ride away. Time wise, that was less of a commute than many of the workers in the city made every day. But there was no fighting that she was busy in another part of the state and couldn't just come running - or flying - back at the drop of a hat. He expected she'd be back for the weekend, but that was five long days away.

With only one adult in the house, walking Cory was complicated. Fortunately, the school van had arrived early enough that the dog was not too desperate when Castle took him out after the children were gone, but that might not always be the case. He could take all the kids along, but that would require a real schedule adjustment. Frozen ground or not, he'd have to get an area set up where Cory would be safe outside for a while, by himself. The dog's shaggy coat would keep him warm, but Castle was also considering a climate controlled doghouse. Until he got a contractor on the job, the family would manage one way or another.

While Rick worked on his next chapter, he waited for a call from Alexis. Jake was already in California. He would be questioning Whitby's neighbors, co-workers, and friends - if he had any. People living under false identities weren't always very social. Whitby worked at a company in Irvine called Cabulon. The website identified it as a consulting firm. In Castle's experience that could mean anything, above or below board. Whatever Whitby was doing would most likely be behind a veil of confidentiality, but he had faith Jake would find a way around it.

* * *

Everyone knew Shelton Whitby and no one knew Shelton Whitby. He lived in the flat part of Anaheim Hills, where the houses were cheaper, despite a much reduced propensity to be caught in mudslides. His neighbors reported that he would wave when retrieving his mail and occasionally say good morning or good evening, but they'd never had a real conversation. It was the same at the donut shop in a nearby mini-shopping center. They knew he'd liked crullers and had preferred juice to coffee, but that was about all they knew. He'd never mentioned family and he was always alone at a small table, usually reading from a tablet as he ate.

His co-workers were not much more helpful. They'd had an occasional drink with him, but the conversation had tended toward work or sports, nothing personal. They did note that he'd become agitated while working on his latest project, before he'd asked for a leave of absence. They couldn't reveal what the project entailed, only that it involved something in New York. Jake needed to know what that project was. The most likely way to do it seemed to be to hang around the local watering hole and listen. If Cabulon's employees weren't willing to talk to him, he suspected they'd talk to each other, especially after a few micro-brews.

* * *

Mary Tibault wasn't sure what to do next, if anything. It was pure dumb luck that no one had seen what happened to Shelton. He'd decided to start the new year by trying to re-enter her life and those of Eva and John. He'd said he'd changed and that things would be different. It didn't take much time to see that he was the same monster he'd always been. She would have called the police if... So far things were all right. None of the neighbors knew about Shelton and none of them had seen the shooting. By the time the cops arrived, it was anyone's guess who'd shot the son of a bitch. Now the gun was at the bottom of the Hudson. There was no way to connect it to her family. Still, she wondered. Kate Beckett had found the body. Mary had read the Nikki Heat books, wishing she could be as brave and deadly as the heroine. Richard Castle had based them on Kate and on himself. Even if Kate was a politician now, and Castle had moved on to writing other kinds of books, they still involved themselves in an occasional mystery. She wondered if they could let Shelton's death lie, especially since there were no reports of the police making any progress. She would just have to hope so. With any luck, after a while, people would forget about Shelton. Well most people. She and Eva and John never would, but now maybe they could finally put him behind them for good. As far as she was concerned, the bastard was burning in Hell and she hoped the flames were agonizingly hot.

* * *

Kate had almost dozed off during the opening of the Senate session. Cap was still in charge - barely. The other party had picked up a few seats. Nevertheless, he recited the achievements of the previous session and the bills that were still pending. None of it was anything Kate needed to be told. There was an air of caution in the building, in any case. Lindsey Teal would be inaugurated in less than two weeks, and all the legislators were waiting to see what the attitude of the new administration would be toward the federal funding of projects that would otherwise have to be picked up by the state. It was the taxpayer's money either way, but somehow receiving federal funds gave the perception of a freebie, as illusory as it might be. The State Legislature wasn't about to spend money if Uncle Sam would be willing to pick up the tab. So the House and the Senate would both be treading water for a while, taking up their time on unfunded resolutions honoring various figures, and apportioning days, weeks, or years, to assorted causes, in many cases to satisfy campaign contributors. There were a few of those she really liked, like New York State Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, and Woman Warrior of the Month. She could have done without a celebration of broccoli rabe. Even the vegetarian branch of the Kasparov clan didn't like the stuff, but she was sure some open-pursed farmers appreciated the gesture.

One thing she was interested in, was the support of waterway clean-up. Liz Ware had done her best to restore the funding slashed by her scandal ridden predecessor, but she had not been entirely successful. Lindsey would be picking up the torch, but Kate wasn't sure how far she could carry it. The state agenda included cleaning up plastic in Lake Erie and in the Atlantic. Just how far the funding would go, was on hold to see what Lindsey could manage to push through. Kate found the wait frustrating. The garbage strewn beach where Castle had found Peter, had been an up close and personal reminder of the need for action. Getting things going on a state level would involve some real community organizing. The cause wasn't a strong concern for occupants of her own district, except for the residents like her family, who also had houses on the ocean, but Kate hoped to join with the representatives from Long Island and the beachy boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. That would be a project that would be more than enough to keep her awake. If she and Castle could enlist the help of some of his old rich buddies from the Hamptons, or even Chief Brady, that wouldn't hurt either.


	135. Chapter 135

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 135

Castle didn't have nearly as much difficulty finding a contractor to erect Cory's outdoor domain as he had anticipated. It was, to say the least, the slow season and there were multiple bidders for the project. He settled on Pete Berglund, a friend of woodworker Bill Garrett's and also retired from the N.Y.P.D.. Despite a well lined face and white hair, Pete had the bicep heavy, upside down triangular build, that spoke not of hours in the gym, but hours on the job. He also had a power auger he said could penetrate the frozen ground deeply enough set posts for a secure fence. Pete had said that he planned to collaborate with Bill on Cory's auxiliary domicile. It would coordinate with the style of the Castle castle, yet be quirky enough for the chimeric personality of the dog. Heating and cooling would run on well shielded batteries charged by wind and solar, with no need for excavation to hook up to the power in the house. The finished plans would be submitted to him for final approval, but Rick fully expected them to be excellent.

The most pleasant surprise of the week was Kate's return early, even if most of her days in the city would be taken up in meetings with borough leaders. Rick and Kate would have nights and mornings together, and she would also have time with Lily and the twins. She had already left for the day when he opened his laptop to begin writing, but he'd had the joy of waking up with her. She'd even made the eggs while he brewed coffee.

She and Castle had a half hour for second cups of coffee together, after the children were off to school, and she'd inquired about RCI's investigation of the Shelton Whitby murder. Castle had little to report, save for Jake being on the job in California, but he was hopeful for some results.

After Kate's departure to Brooklyn, Castle spent most of the day in crafting the last chapter of his book based on Peter, although the possibility was wide open for a sequel. He sent it off to his editor with a sigh of satisfaction and consulted the time in the corner of the computer screen. He still had half an hour before the school van would arrive. Rubbing his eyes, he considered a short nap, but dismissed the idea. The bed was always better with Kate in it next to him. He could wait. Instead he decided on a dinner he wouldn't have to fuss over later. If he put a roast in now, it would be ready whenever Kate made it home.

* * *

It was happy hour at the The Potent Potables. The Virgin Mary Jake was drinking was anything but potent, but he kept a happy enough look on his face to pretend that it was. His miniaturized sound amplifier was aimed at the table of Cabulon employees. The conversation wasn't boring. A section supervisor was having an affair with his assistant and thought nobody knew. Of course, everybody knew. The man walked around with her perfume all over him and somehow the two of them always had an excuse to work late together. However salacious, none of the information was useful to Jake. He could only hope that something would spark some commentary on Whitby.

The crowd thinned out at the bar and at the Cabulon table, until only two women were left, a blond and a redhead whose names Jake had gathered were Amy and Emily. "So how are things going for you now?" Emily asked.

Amy dipped a potato wedge in ketchup. "It is such a relief that Shelton is gone. I mean after that one really bad time, he apologized and promised to leave me alone, but whenever something would go wrong with one of his accounts, I could see the anger in his eyes, you know? I was always afraid it would happen again. And I couldn't say anything to the boss. Shelton was his golden boy. I'd never wish for anyone's death, except maybe Hitler and a certain former president, but I sure didn't shed any tears for Shelton. Working for Conroy is really nice. All I have to do is my real job. He even sends flowers to his wife himself, and picks up his own dry cleaning. I'd almost forgotten men could be decent. Anyway, I'm sleeping a lot better now and I'm off the Kava Kava tea. That stuff was pretty awful."

"Yeah, I don't know that anyone except the boss was very sorry to hear about Shelton's demise," Emily agreed. "I think a few of the girls had a party when he decided to take a leave of absence. It was always impossible to make him happy, and the way he would invade your space when no one was around to see, was intimidating. I wonder if he ever was in trouble with HR when he worked anywhere else."

"You never know these days, right?" Amy replied. "Everyone is so afraid of being sued that they'll give someone a decent recommendation just to get them out. Otherwise creeps like that couldn't survive. I guess in the end, he didn't."

"So the man liked to throw his weight, and maybe a lot more, around with women," Jake thought to himself. "That would certainly be a motive, but if he was arrested on domestic abuse, his prints would have been on file He must have managed to avoid being arrested, somehow. Still it was a motive. If Alexis started looking into the backgrounds of the Fieldston residents close to the murder scene, for some indication of past abuse, something might pop. It was possible Maria Esposito might have some ideas on that score too. Between her work with Fill the Cracks and everything that had come before it, she'd had the misfortune to see just about everything. He would suggest that Alexis talk to her.

* * *

"There was a time when a lot of cops in the city looked the other way abuse," Maria recalled in response to Alexis' query. "It was before Gates was promoted and began her serious clean-up. One reason is that they were afraid of getting hurt. Javi's told me about that. Getting into the middle of a domestic dispute could be a ticket getting shot. But there was a much more insidious reason too. Some of them were taking payoffs. There were a couple of cops like that up in the Bronx, maybe they might have taken calls in Fieldston, I don't remember. I was in a whole different space back then. But when the crack down came, they were kicked out of the department and there were criminal charges filed. That would have to be in the public records somewhere."

"If it is, I'll find it," Alexis declared. "Thanks Maria. Manuel and Bernard should have a play date soon. This weekend?"

"The timing couldn't be better," Maria replied. "Kevin and Javi already have a play date of their own. They're working on a routine for the Fill the Cracks talent show fundraiser, your Dad is going to host at The Old Haunt. Javi says if he can win races on his prosthetics, he can sure as hell do a song and dance routine. You know Javi. He'll jump at any challenge and Kevin is right there with him."

"Yeah, I heard those two were up to something. I wish them luck, but somehow I doubt they'll need it."


	136. Chapter 136

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 136

"There would be many clues to abuse," Maria told Alexis, "work absences, school absences, hospital records, Children's Services Records. Most of that would be under a seal of confidentiality. You'd have a very hard time getting at it, for good reason. FTC records are purely confidential on those matters as well, unless they're needed for a court case. That's especially true where children are concerned. But there is another way you might go at it. Check the credit records of the people in the area around the murder, the further back the better. If a woman is abused or her children are, she could miss a lot of work. She could get fired or laid off. There might be a series of credit problems, possibly in spurts between jobs."

"That is brilliant!" Alexis exclaimed. "RCI subscribes to all the credit agencies. Looking for that kind of thing would be a piece of cake."

"But Alexis," Maria continued, "if that was the motive, are you sure you want to continue your investigation? It sounds to me like Shelton Whitby might be someone the world is better off without. If his sins overtook him, maybe it would be wiser to just leave the whole thing alone."

Alexis surveyed Maria's face on the screen in her office at RCI, creases forming between her brows. "You know, I was so worried about a murder going down so close to my sister and brothers, I didn't think about that. But we don't know any of this for sure. I may not even find anything. I'll talk to my Dad and Kate about what we should do - or not do, if I get something solid."

"Good," Maria responded. "Some folks have had more than enough trouble in their lives already."

* * *

Jake hated to leave Southern California. From what Alexis had told him, the snow was gone in New York, at least for a few days, but it was still about sixty degrees colder than in Anaheim. That was hardly enticing. He had managed to get in a short trip to Disneyland. The mouse ears for the Castle kids were in his suitcase. He had enough adrenaline in his life to not be greatly excited by Splash mountain or the other bone chattering rides, but he had very much enjoyed Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. He'd never admit it when he returned to New York, but he'd also been through It's a Small World twice. That was something Reese never needed to know.

When he'd made his final report to Alexis, she'd seemed less than excited. He knew the feeling. He'd listened in on a few more conversations at Potent Potables, where Whitby's name had come up. The more he heard about the guy, the less he liked him. Given the man's treatment of his co-workers, and the women in particular, he might have been tempted to shoot him himself. Still, if there was a murderer living in Castle's neighborhood, so close to his little namesake, the crime needed to be solved. For all he knew, it still could have been a random shooting by some nut case. If it was, the danger would still be out there.

* * *

Kate was meeting with FRAY, an action group of the residents of Far Rockaway, Queens. The beaches on the peninsula had been a nice and easily accessible haven for anyone who could hop on a subway train. Now it was nearly not worth the bother. Many of the businesses that depended on beach traffic were closed for the winter anyway, but with what had been increasingly washing up on shore, there was considerable pessimism about what the summer would bring. Kate had been greeted with a mix of welcome and skepticism.

"People have always dumped their crap," Jeannie McDougal declared, but after 2017 things really got bad and they've just been getting worse. It's like every plastic bottle in New York ended up in the ocean and they're all determined to make a landing on our beach. I sell sunglasses, flip flops, rafts. People don't come to the beach, I sell nothing. Another summer like the last one, I'll lose my store and my house too. What's New York gonna do about it?" she demanded.

"Well that's why I'm talking to all of you," Kate explained. "The truth is, we need to light a fire under some butts to launch any kind of a clean up, either from the federal government or from the state. So I need all of you to keep calling and writing to your state representatives, your members of Congress, and your senators. President Teal is already on board with the petition to the White House. She's behind us, but she can't allocate funding. Getting that done will take all of you and all your neighbors and friends. I have lists of numbers and addresses here. And you need to put the message out on Facebook, Twitter, whatever you can. If you have pictures of the garbage, post them on Instagram. Keep the pressure on. Can I count on you to do that?"

Nods rippled around the room.

"Good," Kate acknowledged. "You're not alone. I'm going to be talking to three more groups just today, and there are many more out there. Together we'll find a way to clean up the mess."

* * *

"Coffee, wine, or something stronger?" Castle asked as Kate flopped wearily on the couch.

"Chocolate," Kate requested. "I need chocolate, preferably enough to induce a coma."

"That bad? What happened?"

"People are hurting out there, Babe, really hurting. They all want to jump on board, but I'm just not sure how much good it's going to do. Lindsey can't get any kind of traction out of Congress to move a cleanup bill along, and I just talked to Cap. As long as there's any kind of a chance for the feds to handle the problem, he doesn't think he has the votes to pass a state bill. All of this may be for nothing. The people I met with today already have their doubts. If this effort stalls, the hope may go out of them completely."

"Well if pressure doesn't work, how about shame?" Castle questioned.

"What do you mean?" Kate asked.

"Well nothing makes better or more embarrassing optics than kids doing what grown-ups couldn't get their act together to accomplish. With a little urging, our kids were willing to help clean up a beach. How about a bunch of kids trying to stuff their little trash bags or snagging bottles in their little nets? If the adults are unwilling to preserve their world, they will. Even if the video was just on YouTube, it would go viral in no time," Castle asserted. "Then all the legislators would have to explain why the kids have to be out there, because they can't get their own acts together to do their jobs."

"You want a bunch of kids out on the beach in January?"

"That makes the impact just that much stronger," Castle insisted. "They could be bundled up, wear special wool hats, kind of like the women's marches in 2017, but the kids' hats wouldn't be anatomical. It would only be for a day, Kate. Maybe less than a day, not enough to freeze their tiny mitten covered fingers, but it would get the point across. And with Lindsey on the side of the little angels, lawmakers will look child-hating villains if they don't do something. Hating children is almost as bad as hating puppies."

"That kind of demonstration is something to think about, Castle," Kate conceded. "I can float the idea to the groups I've been working with, see what kind of support I get. If we try anything like that, we'd probably need independent monitors or something to certify the kids were okay."

"Speaking of kids," Castle added. "I got a call from Alexis today. Everything so far suggests that calling Shelton Whitby a douche bag would be a compliment. She was wondering if under the circumstances, we might just want to call what happened to him karma, and let it go."

"Castle you know it doesn't work that way," Kate protested. "Cops aren't judge and jury, they just find the guilty party and let society make the decision."

"Seems to me, as a cop, you made that decision about Joe Flynn and Vera Mulqueen," Castle reminded her. "But we're not cops, Kate, and the cops don't have anything. If it turns out that Whitby did meet a just end, it may be our call, just like the call you made then."

Kate chewed her lip. "Castle, as it stands right now, we still have no idea who shot Shelton Whitby. But if there is a decision to be made, we'll consider everyone involved."

Castle brushed a stray lock of hair from her cheek. "That's all I ask."


	137. Chapter 137

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 137

Mary Tibault was beginning to relax. Other than knocking on her door to ask if she'd seen anything, the police hadn't been back. Eva seemed to be all right too. They'd disposed of her clothes, her shoes, everything. They'd been burned to ashes and the ashes thrown into the river, as the gun was. Eva really couldn't afford to replace them, but they'd watched enough _Keep_ to know she had to get rid of them anyway. With Joshua having changed his name, there was nothing to tie Mary or Eva to his death, other than living in the neighborhood - and lots of people lived in the neighborhood. If Kate Beckett or Richard Castle was investigating, she hadn't heard about it. And there was nothing left to find anyway.

Seven years ago, after what he'd done to Eva, Joshua had promised to disappear from their lives and from John's forever, if Mary didn't turn him in. Up until a few weeks ago, he'd kept that promise. Even so, Eva had never felt safe. When she was old enough, she'd gone to Vermont to buy a gun, and she was never far from it.

But it was John that set Joshua off. He'd gone to work for a non-profit fighting domestic abuse. Somehow, Joshua had found out. He'd tracked all three of them down and started calling with threats. Eva had almost melted down and Mary and John weren't much better. Then when Joshua had shown up in New York... Well, it was all over now. Really over.

* * *

Of the people living in the neighborhood of Shelton Whitby's demise, very few, all renters, fit the pattern Maria had described to Alexis. One fit almost too well. Mary Tibault had a string of intermittent payment problems up to about seven years before, right around the time the Shelton Whitby identity appeared. After that, she'd declared bankruptcy to write off hospital bills and made a new life for herself and her children, Eva and John, both now adults. Mary's income was thin, but her bills were paid on time. She lived a few doors down from where the body was found, in the smallest house in the area. Mary's background didn't prove anything, but it made a strong case that she or even Eva or John was connected with Whitby's shooting. Big Jake was involved in the case already. Alexis could keep him on it, checking out the Tibaults. Big Reese should be over the flu. She could throw him into the mix as well.

* * *

The fence for Cory's new play yard had been erected by Pete Berglund and his crew in record time. The dog house was still under construction, but Cory could be outside without worry, for at least the amount of time a walk would have taken. Cory seemed to enjoy it, and pooper scooper patrol was no more work than with a walk. It was a relief to Castle. Kate had returned to Albany to drum up support for demonstrations and Latu's Trails had added another student in the area, making the arrival of the van later. Poor Cory couldn't take the wait easily and was face lickingly grateful for the chance to go outside at will. Castle had a doggy door installed in the back door off the laundry room, so Cory could come and go as his bowels and bladder demanded.

The kids' later departure in the morning had changed the schedule a bit. Castle could grab an extra half hour of sleep, but he'd also started working at his desk later. He found it more difficult to adjust than he'd imagined. Ideas flowed to him overnight and the additional delay in putting them down was jarring. He'd started skipping his second cup of coffee to even things out, and found that with the extra half hour of sleep, he didn't need it, or even want it. That could change his interaction with Kate when she returned. Since the Senate session started again, she'd been living on caffeine as much as she had when she was at the Twelfth. The second cup was their time together. Castle decided that interlude was just too precious to lose. When she was at home, he could always keep a notebook by his bed to keep from losing any brilliant nightly notions awaiting his keyboard - and switch to sipping hot chocolate while he enjoyed her company.

He hoped Kate would make it back that night for the talent show benefit at The Old Haunt. He'd lined up Sarah Grace to sit for Lily and the boys. Between his recently rechecked security system and Cory, he was pretty sure everything would be fine, but he would also monitor the house on his phone, just in case.

* * *

The Old Haunt was crowded with patrons and supporters of Fill the Cracks, as well as a lot of the usual N.Y.P.D. crowd. Kate had barely made it back in time, but after a quick shower, had slipped into a black silk sheath with matching heels, blown out her hair, and given a lick and a promise to her make-up. As far as Rick could see, she was far and away the most beautiful woman in the room and he was anticipating his view of the enticing frock coming off later. He was looking natty himself in a custom made tuxedo. Before her mother arrived, Lily had tied the bow tie for him, her small fingers nimbly successful on her first try.

Maria welcomed everyone, before Castle took over the microphone as M.C.. The first act was a comedy monologue by one of the volunteers at FTC. She talked about getting kids ready for school in the morning. Castle found her description so on the mark that his eyes were tearing from laughter when he introduced the next act, a juggler. The evening proceeded with cover versions of rock songs, cloggers, and a jazz ensemble. Ryan and Esposito did their routine to "Agony," receiving thunderous applause. The final act before votes could be registered on a cell phone app, was a FTC daycare center children's choir, that Kirk had volunteered his time to train.

Castle announced the results with some trepidation. Javi and Kevin had lost to the children, but both of them sported wide grins as the kids came up to accept their trophy. The jazz ensemble raucously played the audience out.

* * *

Kate pressed her head back against Rick's chest and closed her eyes as he unzipped the slinky dress. He inhaled the faint hint of cherry scent remaining in her hair. "You're really tired, aren't you?" he asked.

"It was kind of a rough flight back," Kate confided. "I had to maneuver around some turbulence. And some of those stubborn jerks - well, I've vented enough to you about them. It was worth it though, the show was great. Maria said we raised a lot of money too. She's going to be able to add another staff member and keep the center open later. Hey, I saw that look, Babe. You really wanted to... but I'm sorry, I am really dead."

Castle caressed her cheek with a fingertip. "I can see that. Look, I've been getting an extra half hour of sleep in the morning with the new van schedule, but I don't have to, I really don't have to."

Kate leaned into him. "I don't have to either."

"Then it's a date?" Castle murmured.

Kate turned, wrapping her arms around his neck and touching her forehead to his. "It is definitely a date."


	138. Chapter 138

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 138

Reese felt like a creep watching Eva Tibault. Most of the time he only had eyes on her when she was going to and from work, but there was an air of nervousness about her, like a dog that had been beaten and expected another strike of the master's fist at any moment. Not that she was a dog. She was actually quite pretty, or would be, if the worry lines in her face relaxed a little. He gave himself a mental shake. He had sympathy for the young woman, but he knew better than to develop any kind of emotional attachment for someone involved in a case. Still, he would have liked to be able to smooth those lines a bit.

Eva worked as a cashier in a restaurant. It was obvious she didn't make a great deal of money. Her clothes were discount and her coat showed several seasons of wear. She had no car. She walked to work and took the subway or a bus if she had to go further. He hadn't seen her pick up a cab, even when pelted by freezing rain.

She also kept her distance from other people. In New York City, personal space tended to be smaller than in most places, although rigid rules to avoid eye contact or touching were generally observed. Eva needed more. She actively shrank away from people she passed on the sidewalk. Whoever did try to get close to her would have to do it slowly and carefully. Well, that wasn't his problem. He just had to be alert to anything that might yield information about Shelton Whitby's death.

* * *

Jake studied the records of Safe Homes. As a non-profit, it was subject to sunshine rules concerning its budget. John Tibault wasn't listed by name, but it is was clear from his comings and goings that he was one of the employees who visited with victims and helped them launch new lives. It wasn't surprising. Often kids who'd suffered or witnessed trauma went into helping professions. From what Jake had seen so far of John, he was a nice guy.

From what Jake read, Safe Homes was doing good work, so much so, that they had recently received a very large bequest. They'd hired a consulting firm to help advise them how to best put the money to work. Holy shit! The firm was Cabulon, a direct connection to Shelton Whitby. It was all starting to make sense. Whitby became aware of Safe Homes. Could he have feared that John would reveal something about him? Perhaps he took his leave of absence to come to New York to scare John or the whole Tibault family into silence. It would certainly fit with the personality his fellow employees at Cabulon had described. Jake didn't know how much he could find out following John around, but it was worth a shot. If John knew what happened to Whitby, he might confide in someone. Jake's only problem was, he wasn't sure if he wanted to hear it.

* * *

Kate's plans for her demonstration proceeded faster than she'd dreamed. A movie had come out featuring Merida, a heroic mermaid princess coping with the plastic waste that was poisoning her kingdom. She was aided by Kitan, an equally heroic marine biologist. Not only had a large number of the kids in the country dragged their parents to see the film, there was a hit song called "Give Me Back My Sea." There were also action figures, plushies, and Merida and Kitan costumes. Little girls and boys were begging their parents to help them save the sea. Taking advantage of the PR opportunity, the movie company was also kicking in to help facilitate the effort. They licensed special Merida and Kitan hats and jackets to be worn while cleaning up at the cold seaside.

Kate's political colleagues, with wet fingers carefully detecting the direction of the wind, made the jump from inertia to boundless enthusiasm. Both federal and state bills were in the works before a mass of children's cleanups could even take place on coasts and riverbanks nationwide. As a photogenic leader of the movement, Kate was suddenly in demand for interviews on all the major outlets. She was even offered fast food commercials, which were tie ins with the movie. She turned those down, on ethical grounds. She couldn't even appear to be making money off her legislation. She also hated the tasteless fish nuggets they were hawking. She did as many of the interviews as she could, some of them filmed in a bone chilling breeze coming off the ocean. Between exhaustion and freezing, she was sidelined with an almost intractable case of bronchitis.

As much as Castle appreciated having Kate home, he hated to see her suffering. Her voice sounded as if someone had taken sandpaper to her vocal cords and no cough medicine yielded a decent night's sleep. Castle concocted endless potions of tea, honey, and spice, while Cory lay next to her wherever she was in the house, providing warm and furry comfort. The boys made comics for her and Lily wrote a "Feel Better" song.

* * *

Reese Jenkins and Jake Pullman converged as Eva met John at a small cafe. Sharing a table, the two men electronically eavesdropped over coffee, steak, and eggs. "I want to get another gun, John." Eva confided.

"Why?" her brother questioned. "I understood before Eva. You, Mother, and I all knew he was out there somewhere. And the way it worked out, it was a good thing you had one. I saw the bruises on your throat after he met up with you when he was trying to come to the house. He could have killed you. But now he's gone Eva. He can't ever hurt you again. And you know how strict the carry laws are in this city. If they catch you, you could go to jail. They'd take your DNA. They might even figure out you shot the bastard. You just need some help so you can go on with your life now. I know some really good people. You know that. Let me take you to someone."

"I can't risk it, John. What if they tell? Hell, what if they get hacked? Records are all on computers these days. I'll manage. I'd just feel safer if..."

John took her pale hands in his own. "Yeah, I know. But you wouldn't be. I see cases all the time where the gun is taken away and used on the woman trying to protect herself. You got lucky with our father. It might not happen again. But look, Safe Homes has self defense classes. They're down and dirty, but we teach women to survive. I could get you into one of those."

Eva nodded raggedly. "Alright. As long as I don't have to explain why or anything."

John shook his head. "No woman needs to explain wanting to be safe."

* * *

"Damn!" Reese hissed under his breath as he and Jake left the cafe. "If Whitby wasn't already dead, I'd beat the hell out of him myself."

"Well he is," Jake pointed out. "And it's pretty clear Eva was the one who shot him. So the question is, what to we do about it? Clearly it was self defense. No jury would convict her of murder."

"Maybe they wouldn't. But she had an illegal weapon. She covered up a shooting. Her whole family did. If we report this, there are going to be consequences, bad consequences for that family. They don't deserve that," Reese declared.

"Well, we have to tell Alexis," Jake insisted. "RCI is paying us to find out what happened, and we have. I think she has most of it figured out anyway. But I don't believe she'll want to take this to the cops. I don't think Castle will either. There's no more threat to his family. What would be the point?"

"Alright," Reese agreed grudgingly, "but if any of this does go to the cops, I may just develop amnesia about what I heard. I can't watch anything else happen to Eva."

Jake put a hand on his friend's wide back. "Yeah, I could get a little forgetful too."


	139. Chapter 139

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 139

With Kate confined to the Fieldston house, Alexis, Jake Pullman, and Reese Perkins, went to talk with her and Rick. "So you just want to let it all drop?" Kate croaked.

Castle put an arm around her bundled up shoulders. "You said you'd consider it, if this time came," he reminded her. "A woman in fear for her life shot a man who was trying to harm her, and go after her family as well. Why cause the Tibaults any more misery? Let it go Kate. There's no master villain left to catch here, no lurking conspiracy, just a sad little chapter that should be closed. You have a much more constructive mission pursue, if you can ever shake the grunge that's enveloped your lungs."

"Dad's right, Kate," Alexis chimed in. "You should just concentrate on getting well and let Eva Tibault do the same."

"But the people in this neighborhood may still think there's a killer running around," Kate protested. "How can they feel safe again?"

"How about a little mostly not fake news?" Castle suggested.

Kate groaned. "What are you thinking, Babe?"

"An anonymous party sends a dossier on Shelton Whitby to some intrepid reporter," Castle proposed. "The Tibault name is redacted, of course. Enough of the information can be checked to support its veracity. The good citizens of New York conclude that a dirt bag got what he deserved and continue with business as usual. After that, I don't think the N.Y.P.D. would be in any hurry to warm up the case. They'd look heartless."

"That might just work," Kate conceded.

"I'm sure Paul Whittaker would just love an unexpected gift," Castle added.

"Then I'll send him one," Alexis declared.

* * *

"You're looking a lot better," Castle remarked, as Kate, still glowing from a hot shower, slid into her chair at the breakfast table.

"I feel a lot better," a croak-free Kate replied, picking up the mega sized orange juice Rick had put at her place. "Just in time, really. Lindsey Teal is going to have a signing ceremony for the legislation providing clean-up money to the states. I've been invited. I wasn't sure I'd be able to go, but I think I'll be fine now."

"But you'll have the doctor check you out before you get near a plane," Castle intoned.

"For my favorite worry wart, I will," Kate assured him. "Turk Brown is going to be there too. Since he got himself officially elected, I thought I'd meet with him to let him know there are no hard feelings and I'll be happy to work with him on anything that benefits the people of New York."

"I'm sure Governor Hodgekins will appreciate that," Castle commented.

Kate's lips thinned. "The last person I care about is Hodgekins. This is about the people who elected me."

* * *

Lindsey Teal sat at the ceremonial writing desk, the clean-up bill and a row of pens in front of her. Behind her stood a large semi-circle of onlookers, including Kate Beckett. The news video cameras rolled, and Lindsey began to sign. Kate could feel Turk Brown shuffling beside her. "I wonder if he needs a restroom," she silently speculated, remembering more than a few times when she had, at very public occasions. Lindsey finished her task and smiled at the cameras while the signing pens were handed out as mementos. Both Kate and Turk got one. He stared at his as if he didn't know what it was. Kate eyed him warily. Maybe he'd partied a bit too much the night before. She'd find out at the celebratory banquet. They were slated to be at the same table.

When Kate sat across from him, Turk regarded her quizzically, as if it took him a moment to recall who she was. Then the well known Turk Brown victory grin appeared. "You were definitely MVP in this game, Senator Beckett," he declared.

"I think that was more like Merida and her pals from under the sea," Kate replied, "but thank you, Senator, and call me Kate."

"Kate it is," he agreed. "I'm Turk, but then everyone knows that. And how are our constituents in - what is your district?"

"The Bronx," Kate reminded him. "I live in Fieldston. My constituents, like everyone else, have their problems, but I work for the whole state, and today for the whole country, Turk."

"Well of course, so do I," Turk replied hurriedly.

"And I was hoping that we might be able to do that together," Kate added. "The clean up isn't the only issue. How would you feel about working toward upgrades in infrastructure, specifically the trains? They're decades behind what they have in most of the rest of the industrialized world, and there has been an uptick in derailings lately. The system needs a complete overhaul."

"What system?" Turk asked.

"Damn," Kate thought to herself. "He is out of it." She continued out loud. "The train system Turk. Amtrak is outdated to the point of ridicule."

"Yeah, sure," Turk agreed. "I think I have a staff member looking at that. Contact my office and you can get with whoever is in charge of - what were we talking about - oh yeah, trains."

* * *

"What's wrong?" Rick asked as Kate tossed restlessly beside him in bed that night. "You're not having a relapse are you?"

"This time I'm not the one with a problem," Kate related. "I think Turk Brown must have really tied one on - or something. When I was talking to him today, he just couldn't focus."

"We've all had days like that, Kate. Before I met you, I certainly had a few," Castle confessed. "Is he doing his job?"

"As far as I can tell, or at least his staff is."

"That may be enough," Rick offered. "It seems to me that from time to time, there have been semi-conscious senators just delivered to the floor for votes, and their offices chugged along just fine. Wasn't there that old bigot from the South who hung around until he was a hundred? He made a lot more sense when he couldn't say much of anything."

"Well Turk's nowhere near a hundred," Kate said. "but I guess as long as the work gets done, it's fine."

Castle drew her against his side. "Good, and if you don't get some sleep, you won't be able to catch up on yours either."

Kate snuggled in and closed her eyes. "Yeah, Babe, you're right."

* * *

Eva Tibault nervously entered the high school gym. She'd expected the floor to be covered in mats and the class presided over by someone in a gi. There were no mats. A group of women in street clothes were already there, looking up at the tall figure of the jean clad instructor. "I'm not here to make you martial artists," he announced. "You won't be breaking boards or snuffing candles with the approach of your palms. You will not be nice, you will not be squeamish, you will not hold back. If attacked, you will do anything that is required to get away. The human body is vulnerable in many ways, and I'm not just talking about a knee to the balls. I'm talking about eyes gouged by thumbs and keys used as brass knuckles. My name is Reese Jenkins. What I will be teaching you, is to use anything and everything you can, to survive."

A/N If you wanted to read my book, Dark Awakening, but couldn't fit it in your budget, it's been marked down on the snowleopardpublishing dot com website. Most of the books there have. If you are an Aspie, or you know one, you should be able to relate to my hero. If you like sweet love stories you should like this one. Yeah, he's a vampire, but a really nice one.

And yes, guest, _Keep_ is a take off on Castle. Other guest, killing in self defense isn't murder by man's or God's law. And for a question no one asked, Lindsey Teal is very loosely drawn from Tammy Duckworth. A teal is a kind of duck. Duckworth is a US senator and a double amputee. You can google the rest. A reminder, guests, if you register, I can answer you directly and usually pretty quickly.


	140. Chapter 140

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 140

"Jake wants to play pee-wee football," Castle relayed after the school van had departed.

"When did he tell you that?" Kate asked.

"Yesterday, when he came home from school, but you were so wrapped up in the bill signing thing, I didn't want to bring it up last night. I don't like the idea."

"Why, Babe?" Kate asked. "I know you weren't into sports, except for fencing, but that was because Hunt wasn't around and Martha wasn't exactly encouraging in that department."

"And because I couldn't throw a ball straight to save my life," Castle added. "But it's not that. It's just with Jake's taste for kickass adventure, I think he might tend to go overboard and go at it too hard. Alexis did, even with soccer, and in that noble sport, the parents were more violent than the kids. Also, if he gets attached to it, he might want to continue when he's older, when it will be a lot more dangerous. And my personal experience with high school football players was not always positive."

"They didn't stuff you in a locker, did they?"

Castle laughed and shook his head. "I was six feet tall already in high school. That would have been tough even for them. But they did menace some of the smaller kids. I intervened once, ended up on my ass. I'd hate to see Jake get mean like that."

"So what do you want to do?" Kate queried.

"Offer him an equally adventurous alternative where he'd be taught to keep power under control, Akido maybe. Kevin put Nicholas in that. Self-defense only. The discipline has been good for him in a lot of ways. The dojo is open on Saturdays. I could take Jake while Lily is at Juilliard. If Reese wants to go too, they could work out together. At least they'd be evenly matched."

Kate slapped a hand to her forehead. "I can't believe I'm hearing Richard Castle advocating discipline."

"Books don't write themselves, Kate," Castle retorted, "although I've read more than a few where I suspected a robot was involved. Not every phrase comes from the giddiness of creation. It does actually take discipline to pound out the words every day. I admit, there have been times when it failed me, especially after I killed off Derrick Storm - or thought I did. But there are such things as deadlines, and discipline is required. It doesn't hurt to have some when you need to get a term paper in on time either."

"If Jake will accept the substitute, I have no problem with it," Kate offered. "Listen. I thought I'd go back to Albany this afternoon. There are some things coming up that I really need to work on and some things I want to get started."

"By which you mean doing something about trains. I pay attention, Kate. I know how upset you were at the last derailment. Not only were people hurt, but service was interrupted for days and the extra traffic was a mess."

"That is exactly the thrust I'm going to use. It won't be about blowing money on projects the other party regards as government make-work jobs. It's a safety issue, like the bridges that had to be rebuilt. I don't want to take our kids on the trains or ride them myself anymore. The deterioration has gone too far. If putting in a new system creates a bunch of jobs, and I think it will, even better. But I won't be able to sell it that way."

"I wonder if there's a movie coming out about a heroic train rescue," Castle mused. "Maybe someone wants to sell chew-chew burgers. That's c-h-e-w."

Kate smiled and rolled her eyes. "I get it, but I don't think I'll get that lucky twice. This is going to be a long battle, and I have to start fighting sometime."

"Of course you do, my warrior queen; I would expect nothing less. But would you do your humble consort the honor of going to lunch with me before you take Johanna into the blue? They opened a new barbecue place not too far from here. It's actually on the way to Sullenberger."

"I could use a little going away spice," Kate replied.

Castle's brows wiggled. "You were talking about lunch, right?"

Kate fluttered her lashes. "Eventually."

The legs of Castle's chair screeched across the floor as he pushed back from the table. "Alrighty then!"

* * *

Kate moaned. "Ooh that's good!"

Castle dabbed at the corner of her mouth with his thumb. "They put the ribs in the smoker for eighteen hours before they ever get near this incredible sauce. Maybe I should get a smoker for The Old Haunt. It could bring in a whole new crowd."

"You'd bring them in and they'd waddle out," Kate asserted. "If I spend too much time here, I may have to buy more fuel just to account for the extra weight on the plane. But seriously, I might come back early just to hit this place again on the way back from the field."

"Remind me to write a thank you note to the chef. So will you be coming back Friday?"

"I'm not sure yet," Kate admitted. "I've been keeping updated, but I won't know how much I'll really have to contend with until I get there. I might stay at least part of Saturday, just to prepare for next week. But I figure, at worst, I'll be home by the time Lily is, and we can have a family dinner Saturday night and a family Sunday."

"More of a family Sunday than you know," Castle said. "Alexis and Sergei are bringing Bernard over for brunch. It's going to be a grandfather morning for me, if my creaky joints can take the strain."

"Seemed to me your joints could take just about anything this morning Babe. You're not over the hill yet."

Castle gave an abbreviated bow. "Always at your service."

Kate looked at her watch. "We really should go. I want to be at the Albany house before dark and nightfall still comes pretty early."

"Dessert?" Castle asked hopefully. "They have peanut butter fudge pie."

Kate groaned. "Now I'm really going to run up the fuel bill, but sure. If it's half as good as these ribs, I may do a Snuffles and float in the air without a plane."

* * *

Castle always felt a let down when he dropped Kate at the airfield. It had been such a great day so far, that he felt it even more than usual. But as wonderful as it had been, he hadn't written a word. After his self-righteous words to Kate about the discipline of putting fingers to keyboard, he couldn't fall behind. And he had an idea anyway. After he put in his word count for the newest volume of the Holy Snake Oil saga, he wanted to start on a series of short stories, science fiction. As obsessed as he'd always been with the genre, with Star Wars, Star Trek, and Doctor Who, he'd never tried his own hand. He could understand that now. He'd been writing to untangle the mystery of the evil in human behavior. The Holy Snake Oil books still dealt with that in a big way, but sci fi could just be fun. He wouldn't be writing for children, but as the boys grew up, they'd appreciate the work. He was pretty sure Kate would too. Kate was always finding new mountains to climb. There was no reason for him to keep to the flat lands. This was one hill he would be glad to be able to pull himself over.


	141. Chapter 141

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 141

Reese Perkins regarded Eva Tibault as she sparred with a partner pretending to be an attacker. Even clenched in concentration, her face looked more at peace. She was beginning to understand that she had power. He'd watched as she memorized the nerve center between the knuckles that she could press to make an assailant drop a knife. He'd seen her hold someone back by putting pressure on the exquisitely sensitive flesh above the upper lip. And he'd watched her walk across the school grounds on her way to the subway. Not only were her keys in her fist, the points stuck out between her fingers, a potent weapon. She'd also progressed from shy silence to being able to produce a scream that could summon help from blocks away.

As relieved as he was to be able to teach her how to take care of herself, he wondered what she thought of him as a man - or if she thought of him as a man. He'd almost teased a smile out of her a time or two. There was no rule against an instructor fraternizing with an adult student. He wasn't grading anyone. He wondered if it might be too soon to ask her out for coffee. He decided ruefully that it probably was. If she was embarrassed or put off, she might drop the class, and that was the last thing he wanted her to do.

He had a field trip planned. He would be taking the class to a cluttered alley where they would search for anything they could use for defense. He'd asked Jake to salt the place ahead of time with bottles, trash can lids, and pipes. He or Jake could kill someone five times over with what would be there. He hoped his students could just figure out how to do enough damage to an assailant, to get to safety and call for help. He had a feeling they wouldn't disappoint him. The class would be walking to the alley, and he figured he might find an opportunity to talk to Eva then. He was looking forward to that, possibly way too much.

* * *

At the kitchen table in the Albany house, Kate read the news on her tablet. There had been another derailment. The injuries were minor, at least so far. It was a freight train, not one carrying passengers, but the walls of a tank car had breached and there had been a chemical spill. The tyvek encased clean up crews were hard at work, respirators firmly strapped to their faces. There were toxic fumes. How dangerous they became would depend on the strength and direction of the winds. A wide area was being evacuated as a precaution.

She had called Turk Brown's office regarding collaboration on a plan to do something about the train situation. Her call had been met with surprise. Apparently the Senator hadn't even mentioned the matter to his people. His staff had been polite, however, promising to investigate the matter. She'd call again today. The accident would give them an extra kick in the pants, especially since the coastal route of the train would have brought it close to DC. Another hour's travel and they could have been scurrying for safety themselves.

She wished the trains were the only thing she had to worry about, but for the State Senate, it was still business as usual. Most of the discussion that day would be about taxes. She could almost recite the various arguments verbatim. There were those who felt the more tax incentives that were given to business, the better off the state would be. Then there was the camp that felt business didn't pay enough taxes and that the burden on the poor and the middle class was disproportionate. Unfortunately, there were also the senators who didn't give a damn about anything that didn't directly affect their own districts. They'd try to bring the pork home but couldn't or wouldn't see a bigger picture.

As far as Kate was concerned, she hoped that she looked at things on their merits rather than being bound by ideology. She wasn't sure she always succeeded. The amount of information to absorb about almost any situation was daunting and she hated voting blind. Summaries were fine, but they almost never told the full story. It also depended a lot on the bent of whomever wrote them. If she had Turk Brown's job, there would a raft of staffers to help her sift through the deluge of facts and figures. As it was, her aid was minimal. On a regular basis, she wished she had Castle's speed reading skills, or that he was constantly at her side to lend them, as he had been when she was cop. Castle was where he needed to be now, taking care of their family. She'd just have to do the best she could. She girded herself for the day's blast of hot air.

* * *

On Saturday, after dropping Lily at Juilliard, Castle took Reese and Jake to Akido for Kids. They'd been impatient to put on the small gis he'd bought for them, but he'd informed them they could only put them on for class. That alone had been a huge part of the draw. They'd also started working on a new hero, Lido Akido. Reese was hoping to learn moves he could draw and Jake was still trying to figure out a villain and a story. Castle could sympathize with Jake. He'd been in that position often himself.

While consigned to the parents' area, Castle planned to do a little story crafting himself, with his own new hero. He was determined not to produce some pale imitation of Star Wars or another well traveled universe. He created his own, based around a star train that ran on an invisible track in a fold in space, induced by gravitons. The train would run automatically, with a computerized brain, but his protagonist, Piri Arngrim, would be a hybrid of a conductor and a counselor, solving whatever problems arose for the passengers, as well as fighting off the occasional attack by hostile aliens. A descendant of a long line of warriors, Piri's persona would be mild and accommodating, even approaching wimpy at times. But when danger struck, the hereditary fierceness would emerge and he would be a potent defender. Castle wondered if that might be a bit too much like the Clark Kent/Superman dichotomy, except that Piri's heritage would be far from secret. In fact, it would be the reason the Star Train Company hired him.

Of course there would have to be a woman, or a series of them. He thought of a heroine that would initially disparage Piri as a milquetoast, until she found out otherwise. But that would be too much of a trope. He decided to go with a female of a culture that regarded opposing sides of a personality as essential, having doubts about the warrior, until she saw his nurturing side. Well okay, that was a bit like Beckett's reaction to finding out he was a decent father to Alexis, but it still wasn't anything that popped up in the usual range of stories. Derrick Storm had been a bigger, stronger, and faster version of Castle. Rook had been the writer Castle, but more intrepid. Piri would incorporate yet a different aspect of himself. He kind of liked that. He hoped that his readers would as well.


	142. Chapter 142

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 142

Kate took another bite of savory stew. "Babe, this is great!"

"It was self defense," Castle explained. "I knew I'd be out with boys, and then picking Lily up, so I put it in the slow cooker this morning to be ready when you came home."

"Well it worked." She regarded her sons, who were also enthusiastically attacking their father's succulent creation. "So how did Akido go?"

Jake sighed. "We had to make a promise that we'd never hurt anyone unless they were trying to hurt us. But it was fun anyway. I got a lot of ideas for Akido Lido. He'll make a much better hero than a football player would."

"The teacher told us a lot about where arms and legs go and what to do with our fingers," Reese added. "That will help me draw some fight stuff better."

Castle met Kate's gaze with a smug nod.

Kate looked at her daughter, who was somewhat more restrained in her efforts with her fork. "And how was Juilliard today?"

"Hard," Lily explained. "I love my composition class, but the piano professor is teaching me things I've never done before, like a thing with my thumb. Mr. Friedman's older students did some of it, but I didn't. He said I wasn't ready. I'm not sure I am yet."

"Well if you aren't, you'll get there," Kate assured her. "Sometimes you just have to grow into things."

"Lagi says that a lot," Reese put in, "and that everyone has their own schedule. I was like that with math. Last year I couldn't get how numbers worked at all, and now it's much easier."

Castle raised his glass of Dr. Pepper. "Here's to growth, of everything but my waistline. And how about you, my beautiful bride, how did things go in Albany?"

"Pretty much the usual, a lot of horse trading for breaks for the senators' pet projects. Topher made progress on more supports for kids with disabilities. You know that the federal money for that went to hell when you know who was in office. Liz Ware helped put some of it back and Lindsey is pushing for more funding too, but if Topher gets his bill through, it should at least help a lot of kids in New York. I don't know what happened with Turk Brown. He didn't have his people doing anything on the train situation. I think they may be now, but I don't know about how much help I can count on from that direction. Lindsey's new secretary of transportation, Millie Dillworth, is on a junket around the world to observe more advanced systems. When she issues a report, I'm hoping it will lead to some kind of initiative I can get behind. Maybe it will get Turk off his butt too."

"You said 'butt,'" Jake smirked with an expression eerily reminiscent of his father.

Lily kicked him under the table.

* * *

Castle couldn't rely on a slow cooker for the next morning's brunch. For Bernard and his parents, fresh baked treats were definitely in order. Alexis had informed him that Bernard had developed an obsession with all things banana. Castle decided on banana bread, substituting butterscotch chips for the nuts that were still an allergen for the twins. He could put it in to bake while he and Kate took care of the rest of the menu.

Between Kate and Rick, they managed an admirable spread of fresh fruit, juice, eggs, and a fragrant turkey ham, as well as the bread. Castle also made a large pot of Alexis' favorite caffeinated brew, but when he offered some to his older daughter, she declined in favor of water and juice. He also noticed that Alexis was completely avoiding the eggs she usually loved.

As the squirming at the table increased for both the twins and Bernard, they were excused to go play. Lily asked to be excused a few minutes later, leaving only the adults. Castle sent a questioning look at Alexis. "I assume there is a reason you requested this gathering this morning. It's obvious you weren't desperate for my famous culinary talents. I sense, that fact in itself, may yield your motivation."

"Dad, you can stop playing Sherlock Holmes. I'm pregnant. You'll be a grandfather again the end of June."

"So you've known for months," Rick concluded.

"Yes," Alexis confessed.

"But we didn't want to say anything until we knew everything with the baby was all right," Sergei continued hurriedly."

"I had some early spotting," Alexis explained. "But now the doctor thinks everything looks fine."

"We haven't told my parents either," Sergei added. "We're going to do that later today."

* * *

Castle rubbed a towel over a serving platter Kate had washed, after the Kasparovs had left. "Wow. Another grandchild. I'm really beginning to feel old."

Kate rubbed her hand in the small of his back. Considering that we either get older or we die, I'm all for you getting older. Seemed to me last night, that everything still works pretty well."

"Only pretty well?" Castle asked.

Kate brought her hand a little lower. "Well you do need reading glasses."

"I don't recall having to do any reading last night, unless you think I needed an instruction manual."

Kate bumped her hip against his. "No, I think you have your procedures pretty well down."

* * *

"How did your class make out in Defense Alley?" Jake Pullman asked, sprinkling malt vinegar on one of the fried fish fillets in the pub's version of fish and chips.

"Pretty well," Reese Perkins replied, inspecting the assorted basket of wings in front of him. "The bottles were a bit of a problem. The women tried to smash them to get a sharp edge. I think they were expecting them to break like the ones in the movies. They were a little upset when they didn't. It never occurred to them that they could use them whole to hit with, or better still, to poke into an attacker's eye. I'm going to have to go over those options with them. They did really well with the pipes. The trash can lids were a little hard for them. There were some other things there that you didn't plant. There was a piece of of wood that was broken off a bookcase or something. Eva picked that up. She could have done a lot of damage to someone with that. It was a good choice."

"Eva, huh," Reese reported. "You realize she's the only student you've mentioned by name. More than a student, buddy? Did you know she was going to be in the class? Is that why you volunteered to teach it?"

"The classes are a good idea regardless," Reese insisted, "and I'm happy to teach one. But I did have a pretty good guess. I wasn't sure she'd actually show up until I saw her."

"But you wanted her to," Jake persisted. "She's pretty fragile. Are you sure that it's a good idea for you be around her? What you know, what we both know, you can't let slip, for her sake and for ours. Self defense or not, she killed her father. We know that, and didn't report it."

"Come on Jake, when have I ever let anything slip? Besides, Eva has no idea I know she's anything to me other than one of my students. Whether I'm ever anything to her but her teacher or not, she'll never know I knew anything about her before she walked into my class."

"Whoa, you have got it bad man. Just be careful," Jake counseled. "Be really careful."

A/N My bad, guest. Reese is Perkins. I fixed it.


	143. Chapter 143

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 143

A Wednesday was not the best time for Valentine's Day to fall. It was as far from a weekend as it could get, making the likelihood of Kate being home, slim. Still, Castle had hopes. Sessions didn't meet every day of the week and if there was no upcoming vote, or a bill she cared about, Kate might be able to skip out. She'd done it before.

In addition to his normal writing chores, he would be busy in the afternoon himself. There was going to be a party at Latu's Trails. Castle had volunteered as a parental supervisor. It wasn't going be strictly speaking a Valentine's celebration, as Lagi strenuously avoided leaning toward a particular religion, even with a very secular interpretation. It would be a celebration of love, caring, and compassion. Instead of cards, the students had been encouraged to bring non-perishable food. There would be a caravan from the school to a food bank, so the kids could make their donations in person, and Castle would be one of the drivers.

Lily, in particular, had embraced the spirit of it, requesting a shopping trip. She'd used her own allowance money to purchase canned and packaged goods she thought other kids would enjoy. Jake and Reese would be making contributions as well, but with a lower level of enthusiasm. They, especially Jake, preferred more adventure on their outings.

If Kate could make it home, Rick still had plans for the evening, or rather the night. He would have to wait until the kids were in bed, but he had fresh early strawberries, and wine and cheese to go with them. He imagined intimately supping by the light of tall white tapers. Then there was his gift for Kate. He'd decided it on it months before when he'd noticed Kate admiring a vintage red and purple costume jewelry necklace in the window of a junk store. He'd commissioned a similar finely wrought piece, but of platinum, and set with amethysts and rubies. He couldn't wait to see it adorn the tender flesh of her throat. He hoped he wouldn't have to.

* * *

Kate looked at her watch for the fourth time in half an hour. Damn it! The session had stretched into the night and she wanted to go home. Even if it meant flying back tomorrow morning, she just wanted to climb aboard Johanna, set her instruments, and wing her way to the Bronx. She was pretty sure most of her colleagues wanted out as well. The shuffling of feet and papers in the chamber had become increasingly noticeable, but Jethro Pierce just would not shut up in his rant about protecting the taxpayers. Protecting taxpayers had little to do with his stand on the bill in question, which addressed the liabilities of contractors in the wake of a disastrous housing development. It seemed the only taxpayers Jethro was concerned with protecting were the ones interested in building homes that would collapse in the first bad Nor'easter. Still he went on, the sixth in a stream of senators who had spouted off at length on the topic that day. If they were hoping to wear down her down enough to get her vote, they were sadly mistaken, and from the murmurs she heard, she was not alone. She could see Cap's patience was at an end as well. He was fingering his gavel. All he had to do was declare an adjournment. Come on!

An alarm squawked, drowning out even Pierce. Fire drill? They hadn't had one in a while. She looked at Cap, who winked. The sly bastard. He knew it was coming and the stream of verbiage would end without causing him to take the heat for calling a halt. Security herded the senators toward the exits and out of the building. Kate pressed the icon on her phone for her car service. If the session resumed that night, which she very much doubted, it would do so without her. She had a date with Johanna, and if Rick was still up for it, maybe even a better one later.

* * *

Castle was drowsing on the couch. The tapers were still burning, but he'd stowed the food and the sparkling white wine back in the refrigerator. Kate unlocked the door softly and crossed the dim room to find him. His hair had fallen over his forehead, the boyishness of it not belying the increasing gray at his temples. If he'd looked peaceful, she might have left him alone, but the deepened creases on his face suggested that whatever dream was playing behind his eyelids was not pleasant. She gently touched his cheek. "Hi, Babe."

His thick lashes lifted slowly and he groaned slightly as he stretched. "Hi yourself. Did you just get in? What time is it?"

"Eleven o'clock. What were you dreaming about?"

Castle ran a hand through his hair. "There was some kind of disaster. I don't remember what it was, a super storm maybe. Anyway, it grounded all the flights and blocked all the roads between here and Albany. You couldn't get home and I couldn't get to you. I think I was trying to get a boat when you woke me, but the captain had some kind of spinning saw for a hand and there was the ticking of a clock kind of booming through the air."

Kate nodded, a tiny up tug at the corners of her lips. "An updated Captain Hook. Was he wearing eyeliner?"

Rick grinned at her. "Not that I can remember. He would have cut himself to shreds trying to apply it." He pressed a kiss into her palm. "Are you hungry?"

"Starved," Kate confessed. "We had a break for lunch, but that seems years ago."

"Mm, then I think I'll have to alter my menu plan a bit, but you can nibble while I get started."

Castle pulled the strawberries out of the refrigerator and popped one into Kate's mouth before setting the rest of them on the table alongside the cheese. He handed her the wine. "If you'll open that, I can put together something more substantial." While Kate dealt with expelling the cork, Castle stuffed rye bread with piles of roast beef, adding spicy brown mustard. Kate bit a huge hunk from her sandwich as soon as Castle put the plate in front of her. "Ooh, vicious!" Castle observed. "Thinking of anyone I know?"

"I don't think you've had the distinct lack of pleasure of meeting Senator Pierce and his cronies," Kate replied, as soon as she'd chewed long enough to swallow most of her bite." She sighed. "But this is wonderful."

Castle fingered mustard from her chin. "Not quite the aura of romance I had in mind, but it will do. So how long are you home for?"

"Unless Cap changes the schedule, or what I though was a drill was a real fire, just for the night," Kate replied regretfully. "I can't even have breakfast with you and the kids. I'll have to head back as soon as I can refuel."

Then I guess I'd best jam as much into tonight as I can. I'll be right back." Castle retrieved the jeweler's box from where he'd secured it in his office. His kiss was hard against the lingering hot spice on her mouth, before he handed it to her. "Happy Valentine's Day."

In the candlelight, Kate gazed at the jewels flashing from the delicate settings. "Oh Castle, it's just exquisite."

He fastened clasp and nibbled at the soft skin over her collarbone, as she put it around her neck. Kate arched back against him, the breath forced from her lungs. A whisper rose from her throat. "I have a gift for you too, but I'm going to need your help."

"What is it?" Castle murmured.

Kate cupped him in the heat of her hand. "I'll just have to show you."


	144. Chapter 144

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 144

Kate was already in the shower when Rick woke up. The necklace had been carefully laid on the dresser. Kate had been wearing it when he fell sleep. In fact, it had been the only thing she had been wearing. The siren scent of coffee drifted on the air from the kitchen. Kate must have started it. Well at least she'd have that before climbing aboard Johanna. Maybe she'd have more, if he hurried. She had said she'd get in her hugs with the kids before she left, and they wouldn't be up yet. Kate had barely made a dent in the strawberries, in favor of meat. If he was really fast, they'd go well with vanilla French toast. He was pretty sure he could get at least a few pieces made while she toweled off and blow dried her hair. He could make the rest for the kids, a little later.

He smiled and winced at the same time as he swung his feet over the side of the bed. Kate had been energized last night. He had no doubt that frustration with the political process played a part in that. For once he was grateful for the endless bluster. But he'd like to think that the chemistry that still flowed between them had fed her fire even more. There was no doubt that it fed his. He recalled Kate's worries about being reduced to only making love on National holidays. As far as he knew, Valentine's Day had yet to be enshrined in that manner, nor had any of the other days she managed to make it home. Graying roots and all, he couldn't imagine looking at her and not wanting her. He pulled on his robe, to go get the morning's cuisine going.

* * *

Reese Perkins woke up alone. There was nothing unusual about that. The last time he'd awakened next to someone, it had been Jake and they'd been sitting in a car on a stake out. He'd done his best to ignore that the night before had been Valentine's Day. That week, he had managed a cup of coffee with Eva - one - from a vending machine in the school where he taught her class. It had hardly been romantic. They'd sat on a bench in the gym discussing how the leg of a short woman was longer than the arm of a man, and could be used to hold him off. Still, at least she wasn't afraid to talk to him one on one. She didn't shrink away from him the way he'd observed her doing with other men. It was progress, if excruciatingly slow.

He could wait. Some wounds took a long time to heal and he still had no idea what to do about the elephant in the room. If they did ever manage to have a relationship, he couldn't keep the truth from her. And if he didn't keep the truth from her, he didn't see how they could have a relationship. Jake was probably right. He should move on. It wasn't as if women weren't interested in his tall well muscled form. He was well aware that he couldn't have a beer at a bar without feminine eyes on him. That was flattering, but right now he still couldn't work up the enthusiasm to care. As stupid and even dangerous as it was, Eva haunted him, and there was no exorcism in sight.

* * *

Alexis shifted in her chair at RCI. She was showing now and had dug into her stash of maternity clothes. They were comfortable, but outdated enough to offend her fashion sense. She had an itch to go shopping, but what to wear was the least of her problems. She and Sergei needed a place for Elizabeth. Named for the former president, the baby girl would be fine in the room with her and Sergei for a while, but she couldn't see her sharing a room with Bernard, even if they had been the same gender. Bernard was a restless sleeper as it was and being in a room with a baby would just make it worse. She and Sergei had thought about a bigger apartment, but she'd seen how her brothers and sister enjoyed having a yard to run around in. Her brothers especially enjoyed running around with Cory. Bernard did too. So much the city girl, Alexis had never pictured herself with a house and a yard, but not only was it working for her father and Kate, it was working for Javi and Maria too. She didn't imagine that she and Sergei would find one they could buy cheap, like the Espositos did, because a body had been found in the attic. That kind of lightning didn't strike twice. Despite her internship in the morgue, the idea gave her the creeps anyway. She made pretty good money at RCI and Sergei earned a good salary too, but it would still be a stretch. She knew her father would be more than willing to help, but she didn't want to ask. It wasn't just a matter of making it under her own power, but Sergei had his pride too. She and Sergei would figure something out. They always did.

* * *

Curtis Portnoy of Dependable Construction Company, had a problem. The houses he'd helped construct for Benzit Homes had been a disaster. In no way had it been his fault. The work his people did was solid. All the proper inspections had been done and the materials had been up to code. No, the problem was Benzit. He didn't know who they'd bribed to bury geological evaluations and issue permits to build on unstable hillsides, but the houses his people had sweated over, had slid to ruin in an avalanche of mud. Now they were making a big deal about it in the State House and the whole mess had been picked up by the press. As far as his lawyer could tell, no action was contemplated against his company, but to the general public, he had been tarred with the same brush as Benzit. He'd hired Wondermere, a PR firm, to help him scrape off the goo.

Wondermere had come up with a plan. Curtis was building a house in New York City. Clues to a mystery would be released one by one to contest entrants and the winner would receive the house as a prize. It was an expensive proposition, even though he'd chosen an area that was just beginning to undergo gentrification, the lot had cost some big bucks, but it would keep his name in front of the public in a positive way. Who knows? If he made the mystery hard enough, someone might not even solve it within the time frame and then he could sell the house for a profit. Tempting as it was, he dismissed that idea. He had to be scrupulously honest about the deal. The last thing he needed was more scandal. When someone came through with the solution, they would get a house, a great house, and the good will would be worth more than anything he'd invested. Wondermere would be providing a series of clues and receiving people's responses. Only those with the correct response would be allowed to proceed, and of course there would be time limits. The competitors would be winnowed down until there was only one lucky new homeowner. Confetti would fly. Balloons would soar, and so would his business.

Alexis perused the online housing listings. As usual, anything in her price range, wasn't worth buying. She was about to end her search in disgust when a banner ad appeared advertising a contest.


	145. Chapter 145

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 145

" _While hunt for gold the name implies, what Moses planned the though_ _t_ _belies. Though trees and water hearts may swell, the secret lies within the shell,"_ Alexis read from the screen. "What name implies a hunt for gold?" she wondered.

"Rush?" Sergei suggested from her phone. "A gold rush?"

Alexis pressed her lips together in thought. "There were gold rushes in California and Alaska. The clues are supposed to be about New York. What do people do when they look for gold? They prospect! Prospect Park. That's it! The city planner who laid it out was Robert Moses. There's the forest behind it, and the water, and … a shell. There's a bandshell! Whatever we have to submit to the contest must be in the bandshell somewhere. I'm going to go to the bandshell in Prospect Park. Can you meet me there?"

"I can't get out of the lab. We just had a new case come in and the director's on the warpath. You shouldn't go alone though," Sergei cautioned. "There might be somewhere where you might fall."

"Serg, I'm pregnant, not feeble," Alexis protested, "but if it will make you feel better, I'll ask my father to go with me. He loves this kind of thing and he's really good at it."

"Seeing as he wrote best-selling mysteries, I would hope so," Sergei agreed. "And he's probably as worried about you hurting yourself as I am. Good, call him. And call me if you find something."

"Solve a mystery to win a house!" Castle repeated. "Outstanding. I've got a few hours until your beloved siblings return. It may take a me a while to get to Brooklyn, but I'll meet you at the bandshell."

* * *

Turk Brown woke up in his car. He had no idea how he'd gotten there. He remembered being in his office and having one hell of a headache. Then there was nothing. He looked around. He was near the Potomac somewhere. His head still hurt. He reached in the glove compartment for the container of ibuprofen he kept in there. It usually didn't help that much, but it took the edge off. There should be a bottle of water in the car - somewhere. There was one on the floor in front of the passenger seat, but it was empty. He threw the pills back dry. He gagged a little but he got them down. He turned the key to start the car. At least the batteries still had juice. That was something.

"Home," he commanded. The GPS kicked in and the car took off. Thank God for self driving cars. He never thought he'd want one. He loved the feel of the road and he hated being out of control. But that's what he was now. He didn't trust himself anymore. At least this way he wouldn't hurt anyone. "Show messages," he told the vehicle. A list of texts came up on the screen. Several were from his wife, Carol, wanting to know where he was. There was no point in answering. He'd see her when he got home. There were also updates from his staffers. Most of them didn't require him to do anything, but one did. Millie Dillworth - damn, who was she? She had returned to the US and was supposed to be giving a briefing that afternoon, on trains. Right, the train thing his staff said Kate Beckett kept calling about. He had time to clean up first and maybe get something to eat, if Carol didn't have another meltdown about him taking better care of himself.

* * *

The car gave Castle an audio version of Kate's text, just as he was approaching Prospect Park. It was always weird to hear Kate's words in the synthesized voice, but the message was clear enough. She was about to take off to DC for a briefing from Secretary Millie Dillworth. She didn't think it would affect her schedule for the weekend, but she'd keep him apprised. Between this and the bill signing with Lindsey Teal, Kate was becoming more and more national. Maybe this was a preview for the future. At that moment, he didn't want to think about that. Alexis had a mystery to solve. He wasn't about to incur pregnant red-headed wrath by stealing her thunder, but he'd help however he could.

Castle regarded the roof of the bandshell as it displayed "Celebrate Brooklyn." "It looks like one of those cigar shaped flying saucers landed on that thing."

"More like the top of the giant clam that ate Times Square," Alexis offered. "Or maybe an oyster."

"Oysters have treasures inside," Castle contemplated. "It doesn't look like they're setting up for a performance. We can go look."

The structure was huge. Alexis decided the most efficient thing to do would be to work along the wall and then move toward the center. Castle spotted a white globe in a back corner, that at first glance looked like a light, but wasn't connected to anything. He pointed it out to Alexis. "The oyster's treasure, a pearl?"

"Let's check it out!" Hunkering down, Alexis picked up the globe. "There's a compartment here. There's a note. _"Take a picture of this dome, to take a step to your new home."_ Alexis used her phone to snap a photo. "I'll send this into the contest right now. Thanks, Dad."

"A pearl for an even more precious pearl. Richard Castle, super sleuth, at your service."

* * *

By the time Kate arrived from the airfield for Millie Dillworth's briefing, there were only a few seats left in the back. She dropped into one of them. She could see Turk Brown's large frame a few rows ahead. "Well at least he showed up," she thought to herself.

Millie's presentation was impressive and depressing. She displayed high speed trains from all over the globe. Some of them were even mag-lev, seemingly suspended without support. Except for some of the older systems in Europe, which were scheduled for upgrades anyway, the Amtrak rail system looked like toys owned by a very large child who badly abused his possessions.

Millie explained all the advantages to be gained by an upgraded system, in easier travel, energy savings, and ecological impact, before she took questions. Kate anticipated the first one almost word for word. "Madame Secretary, everything you said and showed us today is all well and good, but what's this all going to cost? The taxpayers are sick and tired of forking over for bureaucratic boondoggles."

"Senator Rupert," Millie retorted. "I can assure you that bringing our transportation system on a par with the rest of the industrialized world would not be a bureaucratic boondoggle, anymore than the interstate highway system was. Just as President Eisenhower's project stimulated business and improved interstate commerce, as well as the quality of travel for all Americans, so would a mode of transportation that would not only move goods and people faster, but generate increased revenue from businesses that benefit from its efficiency. My report will detail all of those factors."

Hands continued to go up around the room until one of Millie's staffers called a halt. Kate managed to catch Turk as they filed out of the room. "Were you impressed, Turk?"

He stared blankly for a moment until he placed her. "Oh yes, um Kate, very impressive, but Senator Rupert has a full defensive line. They're not about to let any new taxes slip through. Secretary, um, the secretary will have a tough time getting past it."

Kate was willing to go with the sports analogy, if that was what made sense to him. "Can I assume you'll be playing on her team?"

"Yeah, well I'll see what the Brown team comes up with and get back to you with the score."

"Swell," Kate thought to herself, "A win from the Browns, that should take about as long as it did for the Cubs to win the World Series.

A/N My local football team is the Cleveland Browns. They are not known for their winning seasons. Guest, the thing about arms and legs comes straight from something I was taught by an Akido instructor. It has to do with a kick preventing a hit from a fist from landing. One would not be required to be on one foot very long.


	146. Chapter 146

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 146

Rick and Kate watched from the parents' area of the dojo while the instructor put the kids through their paces. "I'm really glad you could make it back for today," Rick said. "The boys love to perform for their kickass mom - and I don't mind doing a little of that myself. So how was the secretary's tale of trains?"

"It was fine, Castle," Kate replied, "pretty much what I expected. And the response was pretty much what I expected too. It's going to be a long hard fight to get anything done. But Turk Brown worries me even more than he did before. I don't think he was drinking or partying, there's really something wrong with him. I think he knows it too. He said as little as possible to me. I think he didn't want to embarrass himself."

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt?" Rick queried

Kate smothered a laugh at an advocacy of quietude issuing from her voluble husband, but quickly returned to seriousness. "No really. The man needs help, and I don't just mean his staffers picking up the slack. I hope he gets it." Her eyes returned to her sons. "You know, Jake may have been the one who wanted adventure, but I think Reese is better at this. He's a lot more precise about where his body is."

"It figures," Castle agreed. "He wanted to know the positions exactly, so he could draw them. Jake is more of a big picture - or big story - guy. But they're both having a good time and they're both learning something. Can't really ask for more than that."

"How about Alexis?" Kate asked.

"She and the baby are both fine," Rick reported. "I'm not so sure about Sergei. She's going after the contest for the house full out, and I think he's worried that she's going to overdo. He's called me a couple of times. He appreciates that I'm available as back up, but he'll be working with her himself as much as possible. She's supposed to be getting the next clue today. They're putting them on an encrypted website and sending keys to eligible contestants."

* * *

" _With animals, boats, and blading galore, we're all of one wo_ _rld_ _and that is the score,"_ Alexis read. "Blading, that's skating," she mused. "Animals would be a zoo, and boats would be on a lake. That could be Central Park, but one world? That doesn't fit."

"Maybe there are other ways of saying one world," Sergei suggested. "There are prefixes meaning one, like mono or uni. Universe?"

Alexis' eyes brightened. "Not universe, Unisphere, the Unisphere from the 1964 World's Fair. It's in Flushing Meadows." She brought up a website of New York City attractions and scanned through the listings. "Right! Corona Park in Flushing Meadows. There's a zoo, two kinds of skating, and boating on the lake. That's got to be it. The clue must be in or around the Unisphere somewhere. We could take Bernard with us and go look, He'd love it!"

Flushing Meadows in February was not warm. The wind whipped across the open land and whispered through the lattice of the giant globe. Bundled up and mittened, Bernard did not seem to mind, gazing with awe at the massive steel structure as his parents took turns watching him and searching, but finding nothing. "Let's think about this some more," Sergei proposed. "One world, the Unisphere represents one world. What else would?"

"The United Nations?" Alexis offered. "But the rest of the clue doesn't fit."

But where would the United Nations be on the Unisphere?" Sergei persisted.

Alexis grinned as she caught his meaning. "New York. The United Nations is in New York. That would put it near the top of this thing somewhere. I could climb."

"Like he- heck!" Sergei retorted, remembering the presence of small ears. "You and your passenger stay on the ground. I'll go up there. Keep an eye out for my comrades in blue. They might give me a pass because I'm CSU, but this is hardly official N.Y.P.D. business." Sergei pulled a pair of ever-present nitrile gloves from his pocket and slipped them under his leather ones for extra insulation when grasping the frigid metal struts. Ascending the giant structure, he aimed toward North America."

"Do you see anything?" Alexis called upwards.

"There's definitely something stuck up there," Sergei called back. "I think I can just reach it."

"Be careful," Alexis cautioned.

From where he clung, Sergei could barely reach the packet that was firmly stuck in place. The best he could do was try to dislodge it, Frozen to the metal, the adhesive wouldn't budge, but he was able to pull one sheet loose and let it flutter down for Alexis to retrieve. By the time he finished his descent, Alexis had already photographed the document and sent the picture to the contest. She showed him the rhyme. _"You've scaled the heights, you've but to ask, what hints there'll be to your next task."_

"So when are we supposed to receive Hercules' next labor?" Sergei queried.

"Tomorrow," Alexis replied.

Sergei rubbed his double gloved hands together. "I should be thawed out by then."

Alexis wrapped her arms around her husband. "I think we can get you warm faster than that."

* * *

Mary and Eva Tibault had planned a shopping trip. They didn't go often, partially because they didn't a have a great deal of money to spend and also because Eva was so intimidated when people got too close. That Saturday, Eva declared her shift didn't start until late in the afternoon and she was feeling up for the excursion. There were some good deals to be had in the Presidents' Day sales and she wanted something to wear to her class besides here threadbare jeans. Mary would have hoped that her daughter might be interested in a dress, something suitable for a date, but at least Eva was willing to be out in the world. That was a step forward.

Eva wanted to go to Canal Street to check out the bargains, a long subway ride. The sidewalk leading from the subway to the stores was crowded. Eva wore her purse with the strap across her body, so it couldn't easily be pulled loose. Still, she felt a tug as a young man was attempting to cut it free. Using her index finger she pressed hard between his knuckles while letting out a scream that could be heard for blocks. The thief's fist opened involuntarily and the knife clattered to the ground. He took off at a run, only to be tackled by an off duty police officer examining leather goods at a nearby stall. "Are you all right?" Mary asked her daughter as the purse snatcher was cuffed.

Eva was trembling. The knife still lay on the ground, but she had her purse, and the man who'd tried to take it would be going to jail. Maybe she'd have to stay around for a while to talk to the police. Maybe she wouldn't have time to get any new clothes. But somehow she knew she'd be just fine. An image of Reese Perkins formed in her mind. She could see him demonstrating the move she'd used and urging her to scream the house down. He'd be proud of her when she told him what happened. She just wished she could tell him more.


	147. Chapter 147

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 147

Reese couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised when Eva sought him out to talk before class. He listened attentively to her story. "Eva, you have no idea how happy I am that you used what I taught you to protect yourself, but you know our number one goal here is always to get away. Was there no way you could have done that?"

Eva was disappointed by Reese's question, but closed her eyes and visualized the scene. She was surrounded by a press of pedestrians equally enthusiastic to score a deal. "I don't think so," she considered. "And if I had, wouldn't he have just tried to rip off someone else? I'm really tired of letting guys get away with victimizing people."

"Something happened to you before." Reese stated without question.

"I can't talk about it," Eva insisted.

Reese put a hand on her shoulder and she leaned into the warmth of it. "I respect that, but I hope someday you'll be comfortable enough here, and with me, to let it go." He spied a clock on the wall. "Your classmates are about to show up. I should get ready."

Eva nodded silently.

* * *

As was not unusual with political bodies, the State Senate had expanded their holiday recess for a week. Castle was ecstatic at the idea of a week with Kate, four days of which the kids would be in school. At least during the day, he and Kate could be alone for - whatever. As much as he loved his children, he couldn't wait for the van to leave on Tuesday morning. He had plans, and he'd done extra writing ahead, so he could put them in motion. First they were going back to bed for a nap, in any meaning of the word they wanted. Then they would have lunch together at a nice little diner before heading for the Angelika. The first movie they'd ever seen there together, _Forbidden Planet_ , was playing. The first time they'd seen it, Kate had still been with Josh, and as much has he'd wanted something entirely different, Rick had to settle for popcorn and candy, at least until he could make it home to write a Heat/Rook love scene. This time, when the demons from Morbius' subconscious were breaking through the door, he could hold Kate close.

Everything went as planned until they were on their way back from the theater. Castle would have sworn he'd stuffed himself too full of popcorn, except he hadn't bought any. He'd had other treats in mind, but his stomach was protesting loudly. He looked over at Kate, who was squirming uncomfortably in the passenger seat. "Do you feel all right?"

"Not even close. You?"

"I just hope we'll make it home before I have to find somewhere for an emergency offload," Castle responded, his hands tightening on the wheel.

They made it - just - running to separate bathrooms as soon as they were through the door. Kate rinsed her mouth and washed her face and went to check on Rick, who was weakly trying to brush his teeth. "Wow, I hope the kids aren't sick."

"We would have gotten a call from the school," Rick replied, pushing back his sweat dampened hair. "It must have been the coleslaw. Except for coffee, it's the only thing we both had at the diner."

"You're probably right," Kate agreed. "We should report it, but, even with being Advocate, it's a long time since I had anything directly to do with a city health inspector."

"Right, since your expert abuse of power to get a table at Drago. What ever happened to the puppy rescuer anyway?"

"From what Lanie told me," Kate recalled, "he married Bachelorette Number Three. Happy ending. Lanie! Yeah, we should call Alan. He'd know who talk to."

Castle grimaced and put a hand to his abdomen. "I think that's going to have to wait."

* * *

"I'm sorry about what happened to you two but I'm really glad we could get together," Lanie said, as she and husband, Alan Masters, met Rick and Kate for lunch at the trustworthy Remy's, two days later. "How did you manage with the kids while both of you were down?"

"Willpower," Kate answered. "We ordered in food for them. We didn't want to look at it or even smell it. Lily helped and Cory herded the boys around. We made it work." Kate looked at Alan. "So what did you find out?"

"A lot of people got sick," Alan responded. "The health department started checking credit card receipts and calling patrons who ate at the diner. You were right, Castle, everyone who got sick, ate the coleslaw. But there was no other contamination in the kitchen and no sick employees. It was the cabbage. It looked like it was contaminated at the source and normal washing didn't take care of the problem. Apparently the bug was in the water and the plants just took it up. It wasn't just on the surface of the leaves. They think it's some new strain, fortunately not a lethal one. "

"We just wished we were dead, Castle returned. "That diner local sources," Castle noted. "That's supposed to be one of its selling points."

Alan nodded. "It does. All that cabbage came from one farm upstate. The city called the Department of Agriculture and the CDC. There are supposed to be people up there looking into it now. So, Lanie tells me that Remy has a new burger that is fantastic, with spicy sauce with two kinds of cheese."

Kate and Castle looked at each other. Kate put a hand on Castle's knee. "You guys go ahead. I think Rick and I are going to stick to chicken soup and hot tea."

* * *

"You've gone through three clues now," Sergei recounted. "The one about the dinosaur was easy pickings for you, considering how much time you and your Dad spent at the Museum of Natural History when you were a kid. Too bad he was sick and couldn't go."

"Ryan didn't mind tagging along, even if I didn't need him. He has a pretty active inner geek," Alexis said.

"So when's the next clue due out?" Sergei questioned.

"Today, within the next few minutes." Alexis picked up her phone as it dinged an alert. "That should be it now." Alexis hurriedly signed onto the site from her laptop. _"_ _First name of one_ _quite_ _long in chin, to_ _find_ _the shuttle you get in, and_ _seek out_ _what_ _is sweet and true_ _,_ _at_ _ten times nine and adding two._ First name of one quite long in chin?" she pondered. "Who's that?"

Sergei grinned at her. "Sometimes it pays to be a different kind of geek, specifically into cars. It's Jay Leno. You know, the old comedian who has the car museum. He still hosts a show about classic autos."

"Oh yeah," Alexis remembered. "I know about Mavis Leno. She led the fight against the gender apartheid in Afghanistan. Jay's her husband, right?"

"Right," Sergei agreed, knowing how foolish further masculine comment would be. "So Jay. Jay Street maybe?"

"Let me look for shuttles from Jay Street. There's one that goes to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and there's a building ninety-two. It's got a museum now. The shuttles start running at five A.M., but the building doesn't open until noon. That will give me plenty of time to be there while Bernard's in school."

"I'll be in the lab," Sergei reminded her.

"My father said he and Kate are feeling better. Maybe they'd both like to go."


	148. Chapter 148

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 148

Alexis looked around the eight thousand square foot exhibition space of the past and present of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. "This place is huge! How are we ever going to find the answer to the clue here?"

"Maybe we're not," Castle suggested. "The clue said 'sweet and true.' I hope all this stuff is true, but I doubt it's sweet. Maybe the rhyme was about somewhere else in the building. There are businesses here. Who would deal in something sweet?"

"We should go back and look at the registry," Kate offered.

"You're right," Alexis agreed.

The listings on a display in the front of the building weren't too informative, but dividing and conquering, the three treasure hunters googled the companies one by one."

"The cafe deals in fresh baked pies," Kate noted. "They would be sweet."

"I think I have something more to the point," Castle said. "The Range has an apiary. Where there's an apiary, there's honey. What could be sweeter than that?"

"Castle, you're not proposing that we go play with the bees are you?" Kate queried.

"Not unless we could get those cool suits, but no," Castle responded. "They sell the stuff. The clue is probably hidden with the merchandise somewhere."

At The Range, following Castle's hunch, Alexis surveyed a room full of shelves of containers of honey. "If it is here, we've still got a lot of searching to do."

"Maybe not," Castle suggested. "Look at the sign over that shelf. 'Without bees it would be a much hungrier world.' The clue said, 'sweet and true.' That's certainly true."

An envelope lay behind the jars of honey beneath the sign. Alexis pulled out one of the sheets of paper. _"You got the buzz and made it through, the further steps await for you."_ Alexis captured the image with her phone and transmitted it, then turned to Rick and Kate. "That will do it. The cafe we saw on the way in here looked good. Do you two want to give it a try? My treat?"

Rick looked at Kate. "What to you think?"

Kate chewed her lower lip. "I think I'm not ordering the coleslaw."

* * *

Eva was excited. It was just an invitation for coffee, but she had never expected it from Reese. She hadn't been considering having coffee, or anything else, with any man, but with him she felt safe. He hadn't pushed her to tell him anything more about what she went through before they met. He was just kind. Other than her brother, she had never thought of men as kind, just something to be endured - until Reese. She wished she'd taken her mother's suggestion to buy a new dress, but who dresses up for coffee? Then, she didn't know. She'd never had a date. When she was growing up, she'd never dared do anything that might set her father off, and when she was older the idea of being alone with a man had just given her the shakes. Coffee wasn't a date, right? Or was it? She wished she had someone to ask. At least there was Google. Even with the limited data included on her cheap phone plan, she could do that.

* * *

Jake had told Reese in no uncertain terms that he was an an idiot. He was probably right. Reese knew what Eva was hiding. Even if she ever confided in him, could he admit that he already knew? It sounded like a perfect recipe for the destruction of a relationship. He mentally kicked himself. What relationship? Eva hadn't even arrived at the coffee shop yet. Skittish as she was, it was possible that she wouldn't. He'd chosen the least threatening place he could think of, the local Java Hut. There were people around, but not so many as to constitute a crowd. The atmosphere was casual and quiet enough for some of the patrons to concentrate on their tablets or laptops. The coffee wasn't bad either, although he preferred a more robust blend.

As always, he sat where he could, if unobtrusively, watch the door. Eva was coming in. As she looked around, he waved. He stood, and she slid into the booth to sit opposite him.

Eva gazed across the table at her teacher and - whatever else he was. There was the palest shadow of blue on his forehead. She reached out, but stopped just short of touching it."What happened?"

Reese smiled, with a hint of embarrassment. "I was sparring with Jake. We work together. He was the one who helped set things up in the alley for your class. I zigged when I should have zagged. It's no big deal."

"Does it hurt?" Eva asked.

"Not much. The way Jake ragged on me for being distracted, hurt more,"

"Were you distracted?"

Reese's eyes met hers. "I guess I was. But I'm fine. How are you?"

"Tired," Eva admitted. "The girl who was supposed to take the shift after mine yesterday showed up late. We couldn't leave the register unattended, so I had to stay late last night, but at least the manager let me sit on a stool. I don't usually get to do that. Otherwise I would have been on my feet for twelve hours and he was probably afraid I'd file a complaint or something."

"If you want to stay around after our next class, I can teach you some exercises to strengthen your muscles so it's easier to stand," Reese offered.

"That could help," Eva agreed. "It's not like I didn't need the extra hours. I did, but then the manager said he'd cut me back for the rest of the week so they don't have to pay me overtime."

"Sounds like a prince of a guy," Reese commented grimly."

"He's better than some. It's not really his fault. It's corporate policy," Eva explained. "No overtime. They don't care about their employees, just about the money. I just wish I could find a better job. But it's hard, you know. I don't have anything that looks even halfway decent on my resume. The corporation thinks it can replace me in a second, and that's the way they act."

"What kind of job do you think you'd like?" Reese inquired.

"I'm not sure. I've never had one I liked. It's like class. It's about surviving. But this will sound weird," Eva continued hesitantly. "I mean, I didn't go to college or anything but I'm really good at seeing mistakes."

"Like proofreading?" Reese wondered.

"Uh huh. Like in high school the other kids would ask me to look at their papers and stuff. But every time I've ever tried for a job like that, they wanted at least two years of college, usually a lot more. I didn't have a chance."

"But you could do it if someone gave you a shot?" Reese questioned.

"I know I could," Eva declared.

Reese cupped his chin thoughtfully. "No promises, but I might have an idea. There are some people I need to talk to."

* * *

Rick and Kate settled together on the couch. "Not the week I'd planned," Rick confessed," but we have a couple of hours left before the kids get home. Anything you want to do?"

"That depends on how energetic you're feeling," Kate replied. "How is lunch sitting with you?"

Castle shrugged. "Just fine. I believe I can declare myself officially debugged. How about you?"

"I feel fine too. So I was wondering if maybe you'd like to make up for lost time?"

Castle wiggled his eyebrows. "A little afternoon delight?"

Kate rose and extended her hand. "Skyrockets in flight."


	149. Chapter 149

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 149

"So Big Reese wants you to hire Eva to proofread case reports?" Castle asked Alexis.

"That's about the size of it," Alexis agreed through the screen in his office. "She'd mostly be looking for typos and punctuation, not content. It's not a bad idea. Roselyn, Ryan, and Javi, especially Javi, spend a lot of time doing it. So do I, especially the big chunk of business we do for Frazier. That has to be exactly to form. One thing we know about Eva is that she can keep a secret. I'm not worried she'd discuss anything confidential. And I thought she might be able to save you some time too. You could email me your drafts for her to look at. Dad, Reese says she really needs the money."

"So how do you feel about it?" Castle asked. "You run RCI. Do you want her around the office? You still bring Bernard to work sometimes."

"Dad, because she killed someone in self defense, doesn't make her dangerous. It's not like Kate hasn't done it. You helped Javi shoot 3XK, and you and my grandfather blew up the thugs who kidnapped me. And she'd never be here alone. I'm okay with the idea. I can put a desk in Roselyn's office for her. Roselyn is hardly ever there anyway. She likes field work."

"You're the manager. It's up to you," Castle declared. "But there are some things you'll have to be careful about."

"I know," Alexis agreed. "I will be."

Castle returned to his work. He'd sent enough of the next, and he'd decided last, volume of the Holy Snake Oil saga, to his editor. He was going to work on a Piri Arngrin Star Train story for a while. It wasn't that there wouldn't always be more mountebanks willing to thump their Bibles with one hand and pick your pocket with the other, but he felt that with the final book, he would have more than made his point. With Kate's string of political battles, he had more than enough material for books based on secular greed, corruption, or just plain stupidity. He'd pitch them to Curtis and Strom and if they didn't want them, Paula was always letting him know that there were plenty of other publishers who would be more than happy to put out his work. In the mean time, Piri would be fun. He'd decided to do the series in the form of a journal. That would be a new form for him, at least for publishing purposes, but it would be more amenable to dealing with his character's thoughts.

" _It seemed to be a pretty ordinary day. Heis' diagnostics were normal. They usually are until the graviton flux is perilously close to the red line, but that's what you get when the most brilliant minds in the known universe still can't decide if a particle has mass or not. Things get a little wonky. When you're used to living in a three brane universe, some things just don't compute. Still whatever Heis puts out is a lot more straightforward than what I have to deal with in the passenger compartments._

 _Case in point, Pearla Comstat. She's a pretty regular passenger from the Delta Quadrant to the Gamma Quadrant, but she never has been comfortable on my train. She says it's the lack of view. It's true there are no windows or screens showing the fold, but there wouldn't be much to see. Lec-mag radiation can't penetrate and so far we haven't found a species with the sensory organs to detect gravitons, other than by their effect. But Pearla is from Pecton Seven where the houses are transparent. She wants to see everything and everyone, and wants them to see her. That has led to more than a little conflict in sensibilities. Mocon Parknis comes from Speculum where everything is covered all the time. No one even has a clue what Speculites look like. I'm not sure I'd want to know. The suits they wear look like mashed in octahedrons. What's underneath could be pretty grotesque. The saving grace is that the two species breathe different mixtures. Mocon, can get around in his suit, but he would never invade Pearla's's climate, or anywhere but his assigned zone, and Pearla would pass out and begin to disintegrate pretty quickly if she went beyond her own boundaries. Mocon only got a glance at her at an embarking post, and that was more than enough for him. He scheduled counseling sessions every mega-sec after that. I arranged for Pearla's climate space to project ever changing holos of scenery and beings. That seems to help her cope._

 _This is an express run, so all the passengers will be on board until we reach the center of the Gamma Quadrant. We're only about half of the way there and my counseling schedule is almost full. If this continues, it may be necessary to have my holo pick up the slack. I hate to do that. He needs an upgrade and until he gets it he'll be a little glitchy. The last time he..."_

Castle was interrupted by a Skype from Kate. "How is my favorite warrior wife? What is the battle du jour?"

"I better be your only warrior wife or you will find your husbandly powers severely diminished," Kate warned through upturned lips. "The battle du jour is something with which we are both too familiar. That bug we got, has invaded the water table in a swath of farms upstate. There was a dairy operation up there, dumping untreated waste in an unlined lagoon. It leached out."

"Isn't that illegal?" Castle asked.

"Very," Kate confirmed, "but when all those USDA and EPA inspectors were laid off in 2017, inspections fell off in that area to almost nothing. There was was a build-up again under Liz Ware, but too much ground had been lost and new people had to be trained. The problem slipped through the cracks. There may have been some bribery involved too. The investigation is just starting, but however that turns out, the impact is is going to be felt by the farmers, the restaurants they sell to, and the consumers. The insurance companies are being hit by some pretty hefty claims as well and the CDC is worried that if anyone who is immune deficient is exposed, non-lethal could become lethal. There's the possibility of a mutation making the situation even worse, too. The whole thing has become one huge mess. The agencies are going after the dairy operation, but there are no deep pockets there. Someone is going to have to pick up the slack. So we're starting to work on some legislation now. The Feds may do something too, but the problem so far seems to be confined to New York, so it's not a national priority."

"And you're up to your elbows in this because of your personal experience?" Castle assumed.

"And because at least some of the impact is in my district. Topher's district is involved too. We're going to try to get this done and rammed through as quickly as we can, but it wasn't on Cap's agenda and everything is going to have to be shuffled around."

"All of which means that the kids and I can expect to see less of you for a while," Castle concluded.

Kate nodded. "I'm afraid so, Babe. But I'll still try to make it back whenever I can."

"I know you will," Rick assured her. "And Lily and the boys know it too. Just call us whenever you can."

"I will," Kate promised. "I have to get back now." She kissed her fingers, then touched them to her screen. Castle did the same.

When the call ended, Castle brought Piri's unfinished lament back to view. "You think you have problems," he grumbled.

Cory padded in and stuck his head under Castle's hand. Rick silently stroked the dog's shaggy fur.


	150. Chapter 150

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 150

Topher reached for another slice of pizza at the kitchen table of the Castle's Albany house. ""There are times when I really appreciate knowing something has been in a five hundred degree oven. The official tally of people we know have gotten sick in my district is up to a couple of hundred and who knows how many just thought they had the stomach flu and didn't report it. How about yours?"

"About the same," Kate said. "There don't seem to be nearly as many since the warnings went out about raw food. There was a new lawsuit filed, some trendy diet guru who advocates a raw diet and just saw his business go in the dumper."

"A lot of business has gone in the dumper," Topher agreed. "Well at least we have the first draft of the bill pretty well knocked out. It will be going to committee for markup and we should be able to catch a break. Are you flying home tomorrow?"

"That's the plan," Kate declared. "I have one more meeting in the morning and with any luck I should be there to greet my kids when they come home from school."

"I imagine Rick will be glad to see you too," Topher said. "Lindy has been dropping unsubtle hints about forgetting what my face feels like. You know we're spending more time in session than the senators in Washington?"

"Don't remind me. Millie's push for a new train system has been buried and Turk Brown isn't exactly picking up a shovel."

"You knew that would be a long process," Topher reminded her. "Infrastructure is still one of President Teal's priorities. She'll find a way to move it along."

"And we should move this along," Kate realized. "We have that votathon tonight. Aren't we proclaiming a Celebration of New York Steak Day?"

"Among other small favors to supporters," Topher confirmed. "At least this one is for something cooked."

* * *

" _The dozen stood both strong and tall, 'til once blown wide, it had to fall. You'll find it where the blue once stood, away from care,_ _'neath_ _nobl_ _e_ _st_ _hood._ What the hell does that mean?" Alexis puzzled.

"Is that your clue?" Ryan asked.

"Uh huh. It doesn't make sense, unless they really screwed up on their grammar. I'm glad I wasn't reading it to my Dad. His head would have exploded. 'Dozen' is plural, but 'it' is singular. A dozen people blown wide and falling. That sounds like an airplane blowing up."

"Maybe not," Ryan suggested. You've had synonyms come up in clues before, right?"

Yeah," Alexis confirmed. "Right. A dozen is twelve. A building with twelve in the address, that blew up. I can do a search of news stories."

"No need," Ryan said grimly. "Not twelve, the Twelfth. They're talking about the explosion where Javi lost his legs. Where the blue once stood? The clue is on the site of the old Twelfth Precinct."

"Right," Alexis agreed soberly. "There's a memorial there now."

"And a parking structure," Ryan added. "Lots of hoods of cars, expensive ones, in that area."

"Who knows what they'd consider the noblest?" Alexis wondered. "maybe there's a classic car parked there or something. Sergei is into cars. His lab is really close to the site. If he can get away on a lunch break, he can meet me there."

* * *

Reese and Jake sat side by side waiting for a suspected embezzler to emerge from a financial firm that had been suffering unexplained losses. Jake sighed and shook his head. "So you got Alexis to give Eva a job. You're just making things worse for yourself, buddy. The more you see of her, the more trouble you can get yourself into."

"She needed it," Reese argued. "And after all she went through, she deserves more than aching feet and starvation wages. I won't see that much more of her. I'm not in the RCI office that often. Neither are you."

Jake groaned. "Tell me you haven't taken her out."

"We just had coffee, but I'm thinking about a movie Saturday night," Reese confessed.

Jake blew air through his lips in disgust. "What you should be thinking about is a cold shower, or maybe that blonde who was trying to come on to you in the bar last week. No muss, no fuss, no dangerous revelations."

"I'm not interested in some meaningless one night stand," Reese insisted. "It isn't about sex it's …."

"Love?" Jake finished. "Do you know how nuts that is? I bet you haven't even kissed her."

"I haven't," Reese admitted. "But from some of the stories I've heard, it was three years before Rick kissed Kate and even then he had to pretend he didn't mean it. Look at them now. They're incredible together."

"After Rick had two divorces," Jake pointed out. "But if you want to believe that somehow you're going to have a fairy tale ending, it's obvious that I'm not going to be able to talk you out of it. So pass me the potato chips."

"Just don't get grease all over the upholstery," Reese admonished.

* * *

The parking structure was six levels high. Castle had joined Alexis and Sergei as another pair of eyes, to cover the expanse as quickly as possible. Mercedeses and BMWs abounded, along with the occasional Corvette and Tesla, but there was no car they'd seen so far that stood out as the noblest. They couldn't just go breaking into cars anyway. They didn't need to get arrested for attempted grand theft auto. There had to be some sign as to which vehicle would fit the clue. The ramps were steep and Rick wished he was behind the wheel of his own car, or at least on a scooter. He put a hand to the small of his back. He needed to start taking Cory on long walks to build up his stamina again. He'd been spending way too much time with his butt in his desk chair. He didn't know where he'd find the ambition - maybe if Kate would come home and go with him. Much as he was enjoying losing himself in the universe of the Star Train, he had to admit there was nothing urgent about writing the stories. Paula was still trying to find the right market for them. He could put them aside for a little while and he and Kate could go walking together, with or without Cory. He was so lost in that image that he almost missed the anomaly that was right in front of him. It wasn't new and it wasn't by any means luxurious, but in the context of the clue, it made perfect sense. He used his cell to call Alexis and Sergei.

The vintage blue and white N.Y.P.D. marked unit was unlocked. Sergei slipped inside to pop the hood. "There's a coded switch for the fuel pump," he noted. "No wonder they didn't need to lock it. Even if someone jumped it, it isn't going anywhere."

Alexis was already looking beneath the hood with Castle looking over her shoulder. She pulled out a now familiar envelope, which had been sitting atop the reservoir for windshield washer fluid. _"You've found the sign of heroes bold, your future path will now unfold."_ As she had before, she snapped and sent off her usual photo.

Castle checked his watch. Kate had said she'd be getting in before the kids came home. With any luck, he'd be there to greet her.


	151. Chapter 151

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 151

Kate and Rick reached the front door at almost the same time, but he put his code in first. Knowing Kate had always been resistant to having doors opened for her, he was surprised when she walked through it. She dropped her large tote bag and sank down on the couch. Cory came in and rubbed up against her legs. She absently scratched his head. "Hard morning?" Rick asked.

"Just frustrating," Kate explained. "It was a committee meeting. Sometimes those go very well, but this one involved imposing a temporary tax, a pretty small one, but whenever a tax is involved, sides form immediately. No one was about to convince anyone of anything."

"What was the issue?" Rick queried.

"There are some roads in isolated areas that need upgrading so the school buses can get through without breaking an axle. The other traffic would be using them as well, especially trucks. We're looking at a tenth of a cent on fuel for six months, and you would think the world was coming to an end. And the senator that's objecting the most, comes from a district where the trucks have to use those roads."

"So what happened?"

"There was a vote along party lines to recommend taking it to the floor. Then we'll get to hear the whole fight all over again. Sometimes I wish we'd do what the guys in Washington do," Kate lamented. "They do their rants to an empty chamber except for a president pro-tem and a camera. Then almost no one shows up until it's time for a vote."

"Doesn't that defeat the purpose of debate?" Castle questioned.

"It would if they were really debating, but when everyone's already made up their minds, it's just theater for cable watching political junkies and reporters."

"I'll bet if you were there, you'd want to change that," Castle ventured.

"Well I'm not," Kate remarked "and..."

The ring tone for urgent calls from Alexis, emanated from Castle's phone. "Dad! I signed onto the website and they didn't announce that there would be another clue. So far I'm the only one who had a solution to the last one - well you, Ryan, and I did. They'll wait another twenty-four hours, but if no one else comes through, I've got the house!"

"That's terrific, Sweetheart. Fingers crossed."

"Sounded like good news," Kate remarked, after Castle put his phone away.

"Maybe," Castle responded. "So far, Alexis is alone at the potential finish line in the great domicile dash, but the other entrants still have a day. I continue to stand ready if there is any more sleuthing to be done."

"So do I," Kate added. "It's great to have a mystery that doesn't involve a murder."

"I wouldn't have agreed when I was writing Nikki Heats, but there is a comfort to it." Cory barked and looked wistful. "Speaking of comfort, I suspect that our faithful furry companion desires we accompany him on an outing. We have almost an hour before the kids get here. Care for a walk?"

"Fresh air and sunshine?" Kate responded. "Sounds wonderful."

Kate walked with her arm in the crook of Rick's elbow, while he loosely held Cory's leash with his other hand. "You've been talking more about Washington," Rick noted.

"I've been thinking more about it," Kate admitted. "I probably wouldn't be if I thought Turk Brown was doing a good job, but honestly, he just doesn't seem up to it. It doesn't matter. Even if I wanted to do something about it, there won't be a senate seat opening up anytime soon and our congresswoman is terrific and she's on key committees. I wouldn't even think about challenging her."

"But if something changes?" Castle queried.

Kate shrugged. "I'd have to think about it, but right now I don't want to think about much of anything except calling outsies on pooper scooper patrol."

That's okay," Castle said, handing her the leash so he could reach in his pocket. "I found this nifty thing on line. Automatically scoops the remains of Cory's digestive processes into a bag and even seals it. The hands never touch the poop. The bags are biodegradable too. I can flush them."

"You do have a genius for finding great gadgets," Kate acknowledged.

Castle grinned. "As well as my many other areas of expertise."

* * *

"What the hell is going on with Turk Brown?" Shumberg demanded of Governor Hodgekins.

"How would I know?" Hodgekins protested. "I have enough on my plate right now in New York without worrying about what's going on inside the Beltway. Anyway, I haven't seen him in weeks, maybe more. What's your problem with him?"

"My problem with him is that he's not doing his job. Oh he's showing up for votes and an occasional presentation, but he's not meeting with his constituents, and worst of all, he's not participating in fund raising. He was supposed to be the football hero who would smile and shake the hands that wrote the checks, but he's barely out in public. His staff is very vague about what he's doing. So is Carol. He should be raising at least five thousand a day, and with his image, maybe a hell of a lot more. The party isn't seeing anything."

"Last time I talked to Carol she did say he hadn't been feeling up to par," Hodgekins confided. "You know football players. They have all sorts of old injuries. Maybe he's doing some kind of therapy regimen."

"Well if he is, it better work," Shumberg retorted. "He's making the party look bad to some of our major contributors, and that spells trouble for all of us."

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Hodgekins asserted.

As soon as Shumberg had huffed his way out of his office, the governor picked up the phone. "Hi, Carol, Brett Hodgekins. Look, we have a problem. Chuck Shumberg was just here and it wasn't a friendly visit. He was asking about Turk. Is he doing any better?"

Carol's voice was shaky as she answered. "I talked him into seeing a specialist about a new treatment, some drug they developed in Europe. Turk has been going for infusions every couple of days. Dr. Hollister says it's early yet, but so far we're not seeing any improvement. If anything, things are worse. Turk's hopes were up and now he's depressed. Damnit Brett, you know how many players we've lost to suicide because of this thing. I watch him as much as I can. I have his aides watching him too. I'm just hoping the treatment starts working before the worst happens."

"I hate to pile on, Carol, but if he doesn't start getting better, his illness is going to get out. Too many questions are being asked and it can't stay under wraps forever. Sooner or later one of his staffers is going to spill the beans, or some reporter will dig it out. You need to be prepared for that," Hodgekins counseled.

"I know, Brett," Carol agreed. "But while there is still some kind of hope, we need to give him as much time as we can. He's always pushed through everything, working to get a scholarship, all the pain while he was playing. To him, if he admits that he can't get past this, that he can't do his job, that would be giving up, and that really might drive him over the edge."

"Alright, I'll hold off Shumberg as long as I can," Hodgekins promised. "Good luck to both of you.

A/N As far as I can tell, the pooper scooper I described doesn't exist. Even were that my bailiwick, my patenting days are over. So if anyone wants to run with the idea, you have my blessing. I would suggest a vacuum assist and a heat seal on soluble plastic, like the polymers used on detergent pods, might be in order. You'd also need an extensible handle if it was going to fit in a pocket or purse. I am now writing twelve years in the future, so there's time. LOL.


	152. Chapter 152

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 152

"There's another clue," Alexis reported, "and it's long."

"Go ahead and read it to me," Sergei requested.

Alexis put her cell on speaker. _"When blue and yellow join to see the seventeen and twenty-five, the ninety-fourth is working still and it will safety drive._ _A_ _nd never there arriving late,_ _valiant find two-thirty-eight._ _Where west is_ _E_ _ast you'll come to know and see the growing robot show."_

"That is a lot," Sergei agreed. "Can you text it to me?"

"Coming now," Alexis said.

Sergei stared at the verses. "Let's start with something easy. Blue and yellow make green. It has something to do with green. Are you running a search on where all those numbers occur together?"

"I'm looking at it now," Alexis relayed. "It's Greenpoint/Williamsburg. Seventeen and twenty-five are the congressional districts. The ninety-fourth is the N.Y.P.D. precinct, and the two-thirty-eight is the fire department engine."

"East is capitalized but west isn't," Sergei noted. "So East is the name of something but west is a direction."

"The East River is the western border of Greenpoint. That makes sense," Alexis offered, but robot show? I can't find any reference to that in Greenpoint. There isn't an animatronic theater or any kind of a robot wars competition."

"So many things are robotic now," Sergei mused. "A lot of the equipment in the warehouses along the river would be. Vehicles too."

"I'll just have to go and look," Alexis decided. "My dad said Kate was coming home. Maybe I can take them both with me."

"I wish I could join you," Sergei bemoaned, "but we are swamped. We had three new cases come in last night and I still have the ongoing ones."

"You've helped a lot already. If two of the best detective minds around can't help me get this done, I don't know who could," Alexis declared. "I'll call you when we come up with something."

* * *

Except for the receptionist, Eva was alone at RCI. Kevin, Javi, and Roselyn were all working in the field and Alexis was chasing her dream house. She wished Alexis well. She'd never known anything but rentals. It would be amazing to own a house, especially in New York. Right now she was happy that she wouldn't have to work so hard to scrape up the rent, even if the job wasn't quite what she'd expected.

She'd thought case reports would be interesting, like mystery stories, but a lot of what she read was pretty boring. Surveillance could go on for days, weeks, or even months. Then there was the work with forensic accountants to uncover skimming and theft. That could make anyone's eyes glaze over. She knew Reese worked in security and as a detective, with his friend Jake. They'd been investigating an embezzler, but so far there was nothing exciting at all. She didn't know about Jake, but as active as Reese was, that would have to be frustrating. She had to wonder what cases he'd had where he'd had to use the skills she'd seen in class. She'd heard that Alexis' little twin brothers were named after Reese and Jake because they'd saved Kate Beckett's life when she'd been pregnant with the baby boys. Eva didn't have to wonder about that event. All she'd had to do was google it. But she was sure there were a lot more stories.

Of course Reese wouldn't talk about them. Everything at RCI was confidential. Alexis had made her sign an agreement about that. There were paper files, but they were locked up and the computerized ones were encrypted. The only ones available to Eva as a limited user of the RCI computer system were the ones she was working on, and she had an encryption key for those too. Maybe one day Reese could tell her about some cases without mentioning names or anything else that might give a client away. She'd really like that.

For now, she could enjoy feet that didn't hurt and a friendly boss who didn't answer to a big corporation. She had a lot to be grateful for, and it was all because of Reese. She couldn't wait to see him at class that night, and maybe for coffee after. She was developing a whole new appreciation for coffee.

* * *

Development along the East River in Greenpoint was in high gear. Re-zoning had taken place years before. Recreation facilities, including an amusement area, had been developed, and a promenade had been extended to the Newtown Creek area. The Newtown Creek estuary had been so polluted, that it had been turned into a super fund clean-up site. The work had stalled out as environmental restrictions were gutted in 2017, but after Liz Ware took office, the clean-up had resumed, making the area safe to use again. The promenade was lovely, and had attracted developers to further gentrify the area.

With Kate at the wheel, she, Rick, and Alexis tooled slowly along the new road fronting the East River. There was was a lot of activity to survey. Old warehouses had been bulldozed to make way for a towering housing project. An open air market was home to everything from fresh produce to fresh fish. Heavy construction equipment dug and graded, creating sites for more buildings and homes.

Rick had binoculars to his eyes. He liked watching construction. Wandering the streets of New York when he was younger, he'd always enjoyed gazing through the peep holes provided in the walls around building sites, to see the machinery do its work. Sometimes he'd had to compete with the women who were more interested in the sweaty men who ran the behemoths. As Kate drove, he realized that some of those muscular bodies were now missing. Like self driving cars, the heavy vehicles were directed by lasers and sensors. They weren't the standard movie image of a droid, but they were robots nonetheless. He yelled for Kate to pull over.

There was a dirt path along the construction area, separated from it by temporary fencing. On foot, Alexis took point, her eyes searching for a clue, while Kate and Rick followed, doing the same. The project was vast, stretching for more than a mile. But there was something in the distance on higher ground. As they drew closer they could see it was a house. Alexis began to run. The home was two stories, most likely three, if there was a basement. The siding was of the rot -resistant wood she had seen used to protect houses in the Hamptons and the roof was topped with solar tile. The landscaping was unfinished, but the grounds were prepared for planting and a sturdy deck looked out over the river.

After entering through a break in the fence, she found the familiar envelope taped to the door, with only one sheet inside. _"_ _Arriving first this note you'll read, and shortly you'll receive a deed. From here to there you'll no more roam. You've reached your goal; now welcome home."_ Alexis began to squeal and held it out for Rick and Kate to read. After heartfelt exchanges of hugs, Alexis pulled out her phone. She took a hurried video of the house and called Sergei."

"You know," Kate said as she and Rick shared a very late lunch at their own home, "whether Alexis drives or takes the subway, she is going to have a commute to RCI of pretty close to an hour. It will be about the same for Sergei to CSU."

"I don't think they'll care," Castle said. If they had one of those manses in Westchester County, it would be worse. A lot of high school students take the train that far every day. Then there are all the people who come into the city from Jersey or Connecticut. It's a New York thing. Alexis could do a lot of her computer work from home, too. And we've been talking about setting up satellite offices for RCI. The way Greenpoint is growing, it wouldn't be a bad spot. And that house will be a great place for Alexis and Sergei to raise my grandchildren. Of course with the dead bodies that get thrown into the East River, they might end up in the family business, so to speak."

Kate rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I think we've got a few years before that happens."

A/N Greenpoint is real. You might remember that's where the bloody van was in "Target." Newtown Creek and the super fund site are real as well, and a promenade extension is planned. Re-zoning did take place and Greenpoint/Williamsburg is thought to be the next most likely spot for gentrification in New York City.


	153. Chapter 153

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 153

"That's great news, Carol," Governor Hodgekins said.

"We'll it is for a while at least, Brett," Carol Brown allowed. "The European studies were not long term, so we don't know how long the improvement will last. Dr. Hollister warned us that it might be like the early Alzheimer's drugs, where things would seem better for a while, but the disease wouldn't really be stopped. But for now, Turk is feeling better and he's back out on the trail. We're grateful for whatever good time he has."

"The timing couldn't be better," Brett remarked. "We have a major fundraiser planned in New York City. All the fat wallets will be there. Kate Beckett, who almost got Turk's seat, will be coming and bringing that writer husband of hers. He's a draw for the ladies, and some of them are the biggest contributors. We'll have TV people too. A couple of the more political late night TV hosts will be putting in an appearance. That little lady who won all Grammy's will be performing for the younger up and comers, and Turk should appeal to the sports crowd."

"We'll be there," Carol promised.

* * *

Reese and Jake were among the security personnel who'd been hired for Governor Hodgekins' shindig. It was a refreshing change from unproductive stake-outs, but Reese could have done with wearing something more comfortable than a tuxedo. There was no reasonable spot for a gun, except his ankle holster, and he hated the breathing restriction of bow ties. As far as he'd been told, there hadn't been any specific threats made against the event, but there were always celebrity stalkers and wing nuts. Terrorist attacks were less likely than a lightning strike, but still possible. He had to be alert for anything out of the ordinary.

Jake had the job of checking invitations. They all had embedded chips and should have been hard to counterfeit, but security tech was lucky if it could stay one step ahead of the bad guys. If someone was determined enough, invitations could be duplicated. He also checked ID's, but they could be faked as well. So far no one had appeared suspicious. The staff had been vetted and supplied by the venue. They wore holographic badges. Again, with enough effort, those could be stolen or faked, but that was more Reese's problem. When the invitation count had been reached, Jake closed the doors to the ballroom and took a place in front of them.

Using a wireless microphone, Chuck Shumberg gave the expected acknowledgments and introductions, then Steppin Innit, the comedian who would be warming up the crowd for Triny Quick, began his set. His material was heavy on the foibles of the opposing party, garnering laughter and even spurts of applause. Reese was too busy eyeing the crowd to listen. When Triny Quick took the stage, the room was awash with sound, temporary walls vibrating. Reese would have preferred solid ones, as guns or even small amounts of explosives could easily breach the barriers. The situation was akin to having three locks on a door when a window could easily be smashed. Still it was more likely that a threat would appear in the person of someone already in the room.

He noticed one of the servers moving closer to the stage. There was no reason for her to do that. Her job was to replace drinks and hors d'oeuvres for the guests at the tables. He alerted Jake on his com and they both hurried toward the possible suspect. Suddenly she rushed at Triny with a pair of scissors in her hand. Reese, closer than Jake, tackled her before she could reach Triny. She struggled, jamming the scissors into his thigh, sobbing, "I need her hair. I just need some of her hair."

Jake arrived a second later to help subdue her. "Is it bad?" he asked Reese.

Reese gritted his teeth and shook his head. "Just went into the muscle. But I won't be demonstrating any kicks to my class this week."

"We'll get you to the hospital anyway," Jake declared. "Who knows what a crazy like that has on her scissors?"

* * *

Despite Jakes's assurances when he took over the class, that Reese just had a slight injury and would be back soon, Eva was worried. She was more than worried; she was frantic. No matter what Jake said, Reese could be seriously hurt. Just the thought of it tied her stomach in knots. She was desperate to see for herself that Reese really was all right. Alexis had to have his address on file in the office. She would ask for it first thing when she got to work in the morning.

Alexis wasn't in the office. Roselyn was the only detective there. She told Eva that Sergei had some comp time and he and Alexis would be using the day to go shopping for things for their new home. Roselyn said she didn't know where to look for an address for Reese either, but she was sure he was fine. Then she grabbed a file with documents on her latest case.

Eva told herself she saw Roselyn put her code into the file cabinet by accident. But she knew she'd been watching. She also knew Roselyn was lying. The hard copies of the personnel records were kept in the same file cabinet. Eva had seen Alexis put one of them in there. Eva waited nervously. With as much coffee as Roselyn drank, sooner or later she'd need a trip to the ladies room. Eva would just take a quick look. She didn't know what she'd do if she went to see Reese. Maybe just see if he answered a knock. At least then she'd know he was all right. Maybe she'd just watch from outside to see if he appeared at a window. She felt crazy even thinking about doing something like that, but she kept picturing Reese lying on a bed in pain, and the image wouldn't leave her brain.

Eva's chance came, but as she searched for Reese's file, a name caught her eye - Whitby. Could RCI have been investigating her father's death? It made sense, since Alexis's stepmother had discovered the body. But there was no way they could have found out the truth. If they had, the cops would have come for her, wouldn't they? She pulled out the file and immediately recognized Reese's notes. He knew! He'd known all along. He'd known who she was long before she'd shown up for his class. She shivered. She couldn't understand what had happened, and there was only one person who could explain it to her. Hurriedly she replaced the file and searched out Reese's address. Now she had to do more than see him. She was going to demand the truth.

Reese didn't want to answer the door. Jake was on assignment and if it was someone selling something, anything, he wasn't interested. His leg wasn't bad, but his reaction to the new antibiotics the doctors had given him was worse than getting stabbed. He woke up with a rash and deep muscle pain, and the antihistamine had barely taken the edge off the cramping. They told him it could have been worse. He didn't go into anaphylactic shock. Yeah, gee thanks. Whoever it was wouldn't go away and had switched from pressing the buzzer to pounding on the door. He picked up his phone and swiped to bring up an image from the hallway camera. It was Eva. From the look on her face, he knew he had more to worry about than an allergy.


	154. Chapter 154

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 154

Reese limped toward the door, disabled the lock, and pulled it open. He couldn't think of anything to say but, "Come in."

Tears of anger and fear flowed from Eva's eyes. "When I walked into your class, you already knew who I was."

"Yes," Reese admitted.

"You investigated my father's murder."

"Your father wasn't murdered, Eva," Reese protested. "You killed him in self defense, after he'd attacked you and been terrorizing you family for years. No way is that murder."

"How do you know that?" Eva asked.

"Eva, I'm a good detective. I looked into your father, I found out about his trip to New York, about his interest in your brother's organization. I'm not proud of it, but I did what detectives do. I followed your brother. I heard the two of you talking."

Reese swayed a little on his feet and Eva instinctively reached for his elbow. "God Reese, sit down."

Reese sank to the king bed that took up considerable space in his sparse studio apartment. "I heard John talking about the marks on your neck. Eva, you didn't do anything wrong. You didn't deserve what the police would have put you through if I reported what I knew. So I convinced Alexis and Rick and Kate to let it go." Reese ran a hand over his face. "I arranged to teach that class. I didn't know that you'd join it, but I hoped you would. I wanted to help you. I wanted you to heal. I wanted you to be able to rejoin the world, but I thought if I told you what I knew, you'd just retreat further. I never wanted to hurt you, Eva. I never wanted to lie to you. I just couldn't think of any other way."

"Why did you care?" Eva pressed. "I was a stranger to you."

"Damned if I know," Reese confessed. "I've never gotten - invested this way - with anyone from a case before. You're just... I don't know, Eva. I just instantly cared about you. I still care about you."

Eva sat beside him. He looked like a little boy, a very big, miserable little boy. Tentatively, she touched his face. "I care about you too. When Jake said you were injured I … but then I found... I guess you can figure that out."

"So where do we go from here?" Reese asked. "What do you want?"

Eva shrugged. "I don't know, but you really look like you could use a cup of coffee. I could make you some."

Reese reached out to squeeze her hand. "Thanks, I'd like that."

* * *

Castle regarded Kate as she sat gazing into nothing over a mid morning vanilla latte. "What's roiling inside that brain?"

"I was thinking about Turk Brown. He did really well at Hodgekins' fundraiser. After everything that happened with Triny Quick, he was really good at telling football tackle stories and calming people down. He was even squeezing money out of them. He wasn't the man I met before in DC. There's some really good work coming out of his office now too. So whatever was going on with him before, he seems to be over it, or at least a whole lot better."

"That should be a positive," Rick remarked, "but that is not a smile I see on your enticing lips."

"I'd been thinking about what might happen if he had to resign from his seat, whether Hodgekins would appoint me, and if things would be easier if I was working in DC. It was kind of a daydream that could have become reality. Now that's off the table. I'm happy for Turk, but I'm not sure if it's for the better or the worse for me, for our family."

"Some dreams are better off staying that way," Castle offered. "Sometimes they can turn into nightmares. Anyway, now that you know you' ll be staying in New York for at least the foreseeable future, what's on the agenda?"

"There's only a few more months left on this session, then I have to run for another term during the next one."

"Do you really want to do that?" Castle questioned. "Or maybe the warrior might like to find another battlefield?"

"Like what?" Kate asked.

"You were enjoying waging war in the courtroom," Rick recalled. "Fill the Cracks still has plenty of clients who could use your services, and Maria would be over the moon to have you back. Maybe you could take some cases during the summer; see what it feels like to be back in legal harness?"

"It's an idea, Kate allowed, "and I do have almost a year to decide whether to campaign again."

"I have to say," Castle confided, "as proud as the kids and I am of all your victories, nothing is quite complete around here when you're gone."

Kate put a hand on his knee. "Yeah, I miss you too."

* * *

"What's the matter?" Jenny asked as Kevin Ryan frowned at the figures on his tablet.

"Sarah Grace is going to be sixteen next year."

"That's what usually happens after someone is fifteen," Jenny agreed.

"I was reading an article about sweet sixteen parties and what they cost. You know those things can run thousands of dollars?"

"They don't have to," Jenny pointed out. "Mine didn't. They can be just family and maybe a few friends, like any other birthday party. And even if Sarah Grace wants a bigger event, I'm sure Rick would let us borrow the Old Haunt for an afternoon. That would cut way back on expenses. It's not like we're planning her wedding."

Kevin face palmed. "But we will be, and college in between - I hope. I've got her college fund pretty well taken care of, especially if she can get a decent scholarship, but the rest of it, I don't know. Then Nick will be in college before she even graduates and she might want to go to graduate school."

"I think you're working yourself up over nothing," Jenny declared. "We're doing pretty well. You've got your job and profit sharing at RCI. I've got my job. We don't have to live like the Castles to be happy, Kevin. We have everything we need, and both of the kids are doing great."

"I know. But Alexis entered that contest and won a house. I even helped her. Hell, I know she and Sergei like to do things on their own but Castle probably could have bought a house for her without making a dent in his bank account. I should have gone after it myself, or maybe found some other contest where we could really score."

"Kevin, you have been buying lottery tickets every week since before Sarah Grace was born," Jenny reminded him. "You've never won a dime except for two dollars on a scratch off, and you had Nick scratch it for you for luck. Except for your song and dance routines with Javi, I don't think contests are your thing. Stop worrying. The kids and I will be just fine."

"Kevin sighed and brought up a search engine on his tablet. "There's got to be something," he muttered. "After all these years solving cases, there has to be some way to buy more than baby's new shoes." He scrolled through the listings, and a smile slowly washed over his face. "This just might be it."


	155. Chapter 155

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 155

Sitting on his bed, Reese and Eva sipped coffee together. It wasn't the upscale brew that flowed from the fancy machine at the offices of RCI. The ground beans Reese had in his kitchenette yielded dark liquid intended to keep eyes wide open on stakeouts. Eva could taste the bitterness. Reese didn't seem to mind, so she didn't care. He looked terrible. His face was red and puffy. He'd explained that it was a bad reaction to the drugs the doctors had given him to prevent an infection in his leg. Oh, his poor leg! He had a stab wound in his leg. The thought of it gave her chills, but he didn't seem to make much of it. To her eyes, he looked wonderful, too. His dark hair, though short, was just damp enough from sweat to curl at the ends. His brown eyes were dark, almost black, pulling her in. Even ill as he was, his broad shoulders and muscled arms looked as if they could scoop her up with no effort. A picture jumped into her mind of him doing just that. She shook it away. He had to get better. That was the important thing, now. "Can I get you another cup?" she asked. "Or maybe some soup? I could make you some soup. If you don't have any, I can get some. I saw a store at the corner and..."

"Eva," he interrupted. "I don't need any soup. I just need some time, with you. Can you just stay with me a while?"

"You really should be resting," Eva maintained.

"Easier said than done," Reese returned, "but I'll try to, if you stay."

"If you think it will help," Eva agreed.

He put his cooling cup on the nightstand and lay back, covering much of the large bed. As Eva watched, his eyes drifted shut and his body relaxed. She couldn't resist the temptation to lay down beside him and snuggle against his side.

* * *

"What are you working on?" Kate asked, as Rick prepared to retreat to his office.

"My scifi story. I just need to think of a suitable peril for the my Star Train, besides clashing alien sensibilities. I'd like to do space pirates, but they've really been overdone. Ditto with exploding stars and life sucking creatures. So far I've got nothing," he admitted.

"You never told me how this train of yours is supposed to work. What kind of tracks are in outer space? Is there some kind of wormhole?"

"A train wouldn't work with a wormhole," Castle explained, "or at least not in my universe. You'd be here and then you'd be there. No adventures in between. Same problem with a star gate. The graviton projector produces a fold in space and the train sort of skates along the bottom. Oh, Kate, that's it! What if the graviton projector stops working? The train would be exposed to space. They'd need an engineer to fix it, an engineer who can see gravitational fields. That could be a great character! Ooh, I have to get that down. You're not leaving are you?"

"I'm not flying back until tomorrow morning," Kate replied.

"Great! We'll talk at lunch."

Castle hustled back to his office and Kate pulled out her phone to check if any of the multitude of emails were about anything important.

* * *

Ryan studied the story of Mavis Utbridge. At the age of two and a half, she had been staying with her grandparents while her parents stole time for a weekend away. Her grandparents, the Van Pellens, were wealthy. The house was secure, with alarms on every door and window, but somehow little Mavis had disappeared in the middle of the night. There were no signs of a break-in or any form of foul play. Her parents had been miles away, that was confirmed. All of the household staff had been questioned and re-questioned. The girl was just gone. She would be eighteen now, but her parents and grandparents still held on to hope that she would be found. Ryan had plowed through stacks of missing persons files in his career. The stories were often perplexing. The important thing to him about this one, was the reward. The Van Pellens had initially offered a million dollars. As the years passed, the amount had grown and now stood at five million. That would send both his kids to college, with PhD.s, if they wanted them. He and Jenny could have a bigger place too. The question was how and when he could solve the case. He did have some vacation coming and Jenny had arranged to be off at the same time. She would not be happy at all if he didn't spend time with her, and he wanted to. But he could fit some detective work in too. Maybe Jenny would be willing to help, She loved mystery stories. She'd read all of Rick's. And Ryan would have his regular days off from RCI too. The more he thought about tracking down Mavis, the better he liked the idea.

* * *

Maeve was finally allowed to be up front in the bar. For years, Uncle Dirk had been nervous about having customers catch even a glimpse of the girl. He always told her that they could report a child on the premises; then he'd lose his liquor license and they'd be out on the street. But now it was legal for her to be there. She was even learning how to mix drinks. She was pretty good at it. She memorized recipes easily and could measure by eye almost to the drop. Serving customers could be nice sometimes. Occasionally there was some guy who would stare at the breasts that had pushed against her blouse the past couple of years, but most of them were nice and the more they drank, the bigger their tips usually got. If they paid with a card, she didn't get any money, but some people gave her cash. If Uncle Dirk didn't see her get it, she could keep it.

She'd never had money of her own before. She hadn't needed much money. She went to school online and never even had to buy lunches. The few times Uncle Dirk took her anywhere, he gave her some money if she wanted some kind of treat, like ice cream, but now she could go places by herself. Not that Uncle Dirk wanted her too. He said the city was a dangerous place, especially for a girl. She believed that. She'd seen all the bad things that happened on TV. But there were good ones too. People went places with friends and had good times. Maeve didn't have any friends. She'd never had a chance to make any, but she saw some in the bar. They'd come in together and talk. Sometimes they'd share baskets of potato wedges or wings. Some of customers really seemed to enjoy playing darts or trivia games together. Maeve thought she'd be good at trivia. A lot of it was about TV and she'd learned a lot of things online. When she watched game shows, she usually knew the answers before the contestants did. She dreamed about being on a game show. She could win lots of money and get a place of her own. But she couldn't apply online. Uncle Dirk monitored her internet and he'd never agree. Her uncle worked the bar's slow hours of the day by himself. Now that she had a little money, she could get out for a while try to find a computer she could use, maybe at a library, and put in an application. One way or another, no matter what Uncle Dirk said, she was going to have a life of her own.


	156. Chapter 156

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 156

The tip of Kate's tongue captured a bit of whipped cream from her upper lip. "Babe, this strawberry shortcake is incredible. How'd you put it together, if you were busy writing about your alien engineer?"

Castle grinned at her. "I put it together because I was writing about my alien engineer. Once you inspired me, it didn't take much time to put her, and all six of her fully articulated arms, on the page. Just consider that a sweet acknowledgment."

"Six fully articulated arms, huh? Is that some sort of a fantasy?"

"No, my fantasy would run more toward six boobs. So many mammals have lines of teats. Seems to me, primates like humans got shorted. But Tracha doesn't have boobs at all. She's insectoid, not exactly my dream girl, if I needed one, which I don't. She does appeal to one of the passengers, but they both have to suppress an instinct to kill one of their kind who has the scent of another colony. It makes for an interesting conflict Piri has to help them sort out."

"Loving someone and feeling like killing them at the same time. I can relate," Kate quipped. "I think I would kill for more of this shortcake."

Castle put up a cautionary hand. "No need. I always get extra whipping cream and strawberries. While I craft another culinary delight, tell me what were you wrangling in your political corral this morning."

"A lot of copies of totally unnecessary amendments, but a couple of good ones. The markup for the bill about - I don't want to talk about it over lunch - but there are some loan guarantees for businesses, who through no fault of their own, got hit by the outbreak. I would have liked to see direct payments, but it's not a bad compromise. There's an effort to stick in some tax credits, too, but I don't think that will ever make it out of committee."

"You know," Castle mused, "once upon a time, the warrior princess was the one person I knew who was least likely to compromise about anything. Much as I admired that trait, it was a double edged sword. In a way, I think all the political back and forth has been good for you. Sometimes it's helped you sidle a little closer to a happy medium, but without giving up on your principles. If anything, I think you've become even more admirable - and sexy."

"Politics making me sexier. That's a new one, Castle, or is that your way of dropping a hint?"

Castle brought a strawberry teasingly close to her lips. "Well, you don't have six boobs, but the two you have are unbelievably luscious, and I'm capable of compromise too."

"Do I get that second piece of shortcake?" Kate teased.

"With all the creamy richness you could ever want," Rick promised.

"Well in that case, Mr. Castle, you have my vote."

* * *

Ryan felt a little guilty borrowing RCI software for his own purposes, but not guilty enough not to make use of the handy resource. He stared at the results of the algorithm that aged Mavis Utbridge's toddler face and added in the genetic characteristics of her parents, about whom he'd found extensive citations. If she still remained alive, she would be a very pretty girl. He had approximate height, weight, and coloring, even food sensitivities and predisposition to diseases. One rare anomaly was her thumb. On most humans, it bends backward to some degree or another, but Mavis's would be almost perfectly straight up. It was possible there was an image of her somewhere. Searching for images of pretty blond eighteen year-olds with straight thumbs, on the internet, was was like trying to find a microscopic needle in a haystack the size of Mount Rushmore. He didn't even have a location. Scratch that. Not Rushmore, more like the solar system. Still, the normal paths of investigation had been exhausted long ago and tech searches were the one area where he had always had unusual luck. It would cost him nothing except time and eyestrain to try. The payoff could be more than worth it.

* * *

Reese felt the unfamiliar warmth against his shoulder. Eva was still in his apartment and she was sleeping next to him. While another part of his body had an instant reaction, he ignored it and tried to wrap his brain around the situation. Despite the progress she'd made, Eva was still vulnerable. He would have to be very careful and take the nascent relationship very slowly. For all he knew she might still be a virgin. And if she wasn't - well that could be even worse. He shuddered involuntarily at the thought and Eva's eyes flew open. "Reese? Are you all right?"

"Fine," he assured her. "Better really. The sleep helped." He pulled himself up."Now I really am hungry."

"You do want some soup then?"

Reese smiled and shook his head. "I don't think that will do it. I was thinking of ordering a pizza. Want to share?"

"I guess, if that's what you want," Eva agreed.

"What do you want on it?" Reese asked.

"It's your pizza. It should be up to you," Eva insisted.

"Eva," Reese said gently, "I'm asking you what you like. I really want to know."

"Anything except anchovies. My father liked them but they always made me nauseous," Eva confided. "I like pineapple and Canadian bacon."

"Sweet and savory. Good to know," Reese noted, his mind flooding with analogies. "Pineapple and Canadian bacon it will be."

* * *

The library was a long walk from Uncle Dirk's apartment. Maeve thought about taking a bus, but she didn't want to spend money if she didn't have to. Her uncle had gone off to the bar and she was due in to help him in a few hours. She had time. The library had a computer and she searched for applications for game shows. Most of them preferred applicants from Southern California or New York. That would not help her much in Iowa. There was one, a new one, called Trivia Track, that said it would fly promising contestants in if they passed tests and a video interview. She wasn't sure how she could do the interview. She might not even get that far, but she could sign up for the tests. When she finished filling out the form, she noticed a suggestion coming up on her search engine, based on her query. It was for a trivia contest in Des Moines, a little like the ones in Uncle Dirk's bar, but worth more than a couple of free drinks. If nothing else, it would be good practice. It would be during the time she was usually working, but she could think of some kind of excuse. Maybe she could fake being sick. Her uncle would be at the bar all night. He'd never never know the difference. The contest was free, but she'd have to register in advance. Excited, she keyed in her information. Then she had to figure out how to get there. She'd never been to Des Moines, even though she knew it was very close. She'd never been out of Polk City. She looked up transportation to Des Moines. An Uber was out of the question. Uncle Dirk would see her account. There was a bus, and the last one back from Des Moines would get her home before the bar closed. She had enough money for bus fare. She'd just have to make sure Uncle Dirk never found it.


	157. Chapter 157

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 157

Eva nibbled at her pizza and caught a glance at the clock on the wall. "If you're okay, I really should get back to RCI. I've been gone for hours."

"Didn't Alexis give you a flexible schedule?" Reese asked.

"She did," Eva confirmed. "And the money is more than I was making before, and I'm really grateful for that, Reese, but I still have to do my work to earn it. I could come back when I'm finished," she added tentatively, "I mean, if you want me to."

Reese reached out to touch her hand. "I want you to."

* * *

Kate opened her eyes and checked the clock on her bedside table. Lily and the boys were due to arrive in fifteen minutes! She couldn't believe she'd fallen that deeply asleep. A little stiffly, she stretched. She and Rick had given each other quite a workout. She had no doubt she'd burned every calorie in both pieces of shortcake. She smiled in remembrance. He was still asleep. There was no reason he couldn't stay that way for a few more minutes. She could dress quickly and throw together an afternoon snack for the kids before they arrived. Not that they weren't perfectly capable of getting their own, but it wouldn't necessarily be hers or Rick's choice for them, especially not where Reese and Jake were concerned.

As bumpy a ride as feeding them had been the first few years, there were only a few limitations now, and the boys knew what they were. They practically inhaled food. They would be big, possibly as big as their namesakes, but definitely as big as their father. Lily would be tall too, but from the looks of it, slim, like Kate. She liked eating, well enough, and she had more of a taste for spice than her brothers did, but she was fed by her music.

Lily might well be the hardest working member of the family. Being at Juilliard all day on Saturdays was just part of it. She did her schoolwork and did it well. Her grades were good. But every spare minute went to composing or practice. There were some nights when Rick still had to carry her to bed, because she was falling asleep at her piano. Kate wondered what the high school years would be like, when the academic load was heavier. New York had strict Regents requirements and Lily couldn't shirk them, even if she wanted to, which Kate doubted she did. There would be little time for bad boys on motorcycles or television reruns. Her daughter would be consumed. Maybe there was too much of a strain of Kate's obsession in Lily. But then wasn't every great musician obsessed? Except when beautiful music was produced, it was more likely to be called dedication. Kate had never been sure where the line was drawn.

Kate had just finished cutting up the last raw vegetable when she heard the honk of the van outside. The boys clomped in, followed by Lily, as she opened the door. As usual, the boys headed straight for the kitchen. "Good day?" Kate asked Lily.

"It was," Lily replied. "We're starting a unit on Latin American countries. I know some of the material already, from learning Spanish, but there is a lot of history and culture and stuff I never heard about before. We all have to do special projects and my teacher said if I wanted to, I could concentrate on the music. I haven't written much with those rhythms and I'd really like to learn to use syncopation better. I saw Cumbia on an exercise video and I really like it. There is a teacher at Juilliard who comes from Bolivia. I think I can get some help from her."

"That's quite a departure from your usual style," Kate observed.

"That's why I like it," Lily enthused, "it's something different. I think I'll just skip a snack for now and go download some Bolivian music to listen to, to get some ideas."

"Okay," Kate agreed, but you know your brothers, if anything is left, it will be crumbs."

"That's all right," Lily allowed. "I can always make my own or wait until dinner."

Kate shrugged and waved a hand in the direction of Lily's room. "Then go ahead."

Rubbing his eyes and with a satisfied smile, Rick joined Kate. "I heard the cacophonous clatter of rapidly growing feet."

"Uh huh. They're home. Our daughter says she wants to try something new and different, Latin American music."

Rick put a hand to his mouth. "Oh God, she doesn't want to learn the Argentine Tango, does she? I may have to teach Cory to snarl at potential partners."

Kate laughed. "Nothing like that, just the Cumbia, like they use in Zumba classes."

"That can still be pretty sexy," Castle grumbled. "This reminds me of when Alexis wanted something different and she decided to try out for cheer leading."

"I remember. But that worked out fine, Babe, and Lily is a lot younger than Alexis was when you were growling over short skirts," Kate reminded him. "I don't think she'll need a bodyguard dog yet."

"Sometimes it seems like the kids are just growing up too fast, you know?" Castle bemoaned. "I still think of Reese and Jake in their cribs and Lily dragging her elephant around."

"I know," Kate commiserated, "but at least now if something keeps us up at night, we're more likely to be enjoying it."

"And the afternoon was pretty spectacular too," Rick declared.

Kate stroked his roughening cheek. "Yes it was."

* * *

Reese had fallen asleep again, but when Eva knocked softly at the door, his eyes opened instantly. If it hadn't been for the empty pizza box sitting on the table, he might have believed the day had been dream. Still limping, he went to let her in, wondering what to do next.

Reese had bedded his share of women. His looks and physique had made it almost too easy, and he and Jake had ably functioned as each others' wing men. This was so different. Eva was so different. She was the first woman he had slept with, when the word could be taken literally. Under other circumstances he might have tried for more, but not with Eva, not now. He wanted to protect her from everything and everyone, including himself.

So what did one do with a woman, when you weren't trying to end the evening with sex? He could take her to a restaurant, but his still swollen face might scare the other patrons. Same problem with going to a movie. He supposed they could watch one in his apartment. His large screen television was mostly for watching sports, but he could order just about anything on demand. Damn! He didn't even know what kind of movies she liked. That was a place to start - a safe place to start. "Do you like movies?"

"I love movies," Eva confessed. "I can't afford to go to them much, but I've always liked watching them on TV. It's wonderful to live in another world for a while, you know?"

Reese nodded. "Mm hmm. What would you like to see? We can watch pretty much anything and I think I've even got some microwave popcorn around here somewhere."

Eva covered her mouth with her hand. "It's going to sound silly."

"Silly would be fun right now," Reese assured her. "What do you want to watch?"

"Beauty and the Beast," Eva admitted.

"Fine with me," Reese agreed, ruefully thinking that the movie might be more apropos than she knew.


	158. Chapter 158

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 158

Reese and Eva watched the movie through the closing credits and Eva washed the popcorn bowls. "It's late," Reese said. "I should take you home."

"You don't need to do that," Eva protested. "You've been a good teacher, Reese. I can get home by myself."

"I want to take you, Eva," Reese persisted. "There's no reason why you should have to take the subway at night when I have a car."

"Are you well enough to drive?" she asked.

A wan smile played over his puffy face. "The stab wound isn't in the leg that counts. Besides, the car does most of the work anyway. If I engage all the safety protocols, I can't get into trouble even if I want to," Reese asserted. "Or at least not a traffic accident," he silently added to himself.

"Alright," Eva agreed. "If that's what you want."

Reese opened the passenger door of his large but nondescript black sedan for Eva, then walked around the car and grimaced as he folded his large frame into the driver's seat. "You need my address," Eva said.

"Eva, I know where you live," he reminded her gently.

Her body stiffened. "Yes, of course you do. You were watching me."

"I'm sorry, Eva. I'd say I was sorry I took the assignment, but I'm not. I can't ever be sorry for meeting you."

Eva reached across the console to brush his hand. "No, I'm not sorry for meeting you either."

Reese pulled up in front of the small rental house Eva shared with her mother. Trying his best not to limp, he walked her to her door. He'd rarely felt so awkward, and it was obvious that Eva wasn't doing much better. Should he kiss her good night? Her upward gaze was expectant, but nervous. As he bent to reach her, she rose on her toes to meet him. He would be gentle, not demanding. Her lips were soft, but barely open. No tongue yet, he wouldn't push it that far, but he gloried in the feel of her body pressed against his - too much. He stroked her face and pulled back. "Well, good night." He watched to make sure she was safely in the house before heading back to his car.

Eva stood with her back against the front door, her breathing fast and shallow. Her world was spinning. Before Reese, the idea of being with a man had almost been disgusting to her. Now she wanted - she didn't know what she wanted. She just knew she wanted more. She didn't even know when she'd see him again. He wasn't in any condition to teach class, or to come into RCI. She couldn't just go to his apartment again, could she? Men were supposed to call. She'd just have to wait. She put a hand to her lips. She hoped she wouldn't have to wait long.

* * *

Kate had intended to turn in at something resembling a reasonable hour, so she'd be fresh to fly to Albany the next morning. After the post nap, nap, she'd taken that afternoon, her body was defeating her intentions. She checked her mail for any last minute proposed amendments, but there were none. Castle was catching a late night re-watch of _Keep_ , and she decided to join him.

"Which one is this?" she asked, sliding in beside him on the couch.

"The one where Keep figures out what Livy was up to."

"I remember it. I think that's the only time he got really furious at her. Why'd you pick that one?"

"For the make-up sex, of course," Rick replied. "That's always been one of the highlights of our relationship too. I can relate. Not that we need an excuse."

"No we don't" Kate agreed. "I just wish it was one of the more boring ones. I really could use something to make me sleepy."

"Reading your paperwork from Albany won't accomplish that purpose?"

"It might, but I've read it all."

"Hmm," Castle considered. "How about that old standby, warm milk? I'd offer a massage but..."

"Warm milk," Kate repeated, wrinkling her nose. Oh, do we have any of those super good sandwich cookies with the extra dark chocolate in them?"

"Hidden in a place the twins have yet to discover," Castle replied conspiratorially. "care for a midnight raid on my stash?"

"Lead the way," Kate said.

* * *

Maeve was feeling good. There were only a couple days left until the trivia contest in Des Moines and she had enough money for bus fare. With any luck, she might even get a little more tonight. The crowd of customers was big that night, as it had been for the last few. They were watching college basketball on the big screens, hoping to score wins on their brackets, whatever those were. The ones whose teams were doing well were drinking a lot. The ones whose teams were losing, were drinking even more. Either way, it was good for tips, although the winners seemed to be more generous.

The game watching crowd seemed to be a little richer than the regular nightly customers. Their clothes were nicer and some of them actually wore ties. It had been her observation that the nicer the clothes, the more likely a customer was to pay with a card, so she usually preferred the customers who were less fancy. Still, even a few of the men in ties had put cash on the bar for her, especially when their teams were doing well. When he wasn't serving, Uncle Dirk was watching the games too, so she was able to slip the bills in her pocket unnoticed. The games and after shows went until midnight, after which most of the customers left. The customers who left at two A.M. when state law said the bar had to close, were usually the drunkest, but sometimes the most generous. The pressed money in to Maeve's hand before wobbling away.

Back in her room, Maeve pulled out her special box. She'd worked hard to have a place Uncle Dirk didn't know about. Bit by bit, day by day, while he was gone, she'd pried at a floorboard under the spot the wastebasket usually sat. When she'd finally gotten it up, she'd measured carefully, before making a paper maché box that would just fit in the space. At first she'd used it for fanciful stories she'd written about exciting places she'd go and things she'd do if she could leave Polk City. Now she used it to hide her money. Every day that it grew fuller made her more ambitious. She wouldn't just go to the trivia contest in Des Moines. She wanted a little computer of her own, that Uncle Dirk didn't know about. She could afford to go and sit in a coffee shop or restaurant where there was a wifi signal, now. If she couldn't make friends in person, she could at least make some online. There was a show on TV all about people who got to know each other across the country and finally meeting up. Some of them even got married. She wasn't worried about that, but it would be nice to have someone she could at least talk to on video, someone who'd gone to school and dated boys and knew what it was like. Going to Des Moines would be her first step. She couldn't wait.

A/N Guest, I spent my teen years in New York City. At present, you have to pass five Regents exams to graduate. There are stiffer requirements for a Regents Diploma with an advanced designation, but the deal for me was, pass the Regents, pass the course. In one case, that was a real boost. I would have only gotten a B+ in physics, but I aced the Regents so I aced the course. What the rules will be in twelve years, which is where we are in the story now, I have no idea.


	159. Chapter 159

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 159

Reese was feeling more like a human being. His rash and the swelling of his face had disappeared, as had the muscle pain. His stab wound still hurt, but he'd had much worse. He hadn't talked to Eva in a couple of days. He hadn't wanted to put pressure on her. He still wouldn't. He could casually stroll into RCI and check with Alexis to see if there was a case she wanted him on. He could easily do that with a call or a text, but that wouldn't give him an excuse to see Eva.

RCI was empty except for the receptionist, Alexis, and Eva. Ryan and Esposito were out together on a case and Roselyn had gone out West to work with Frasier Enterprises. "Reese, how are you doing?" Alexis asked.

"Almost up to speed," Reese replied. "Unless I have to do a marathon chase on foot, I can handle anything you have."

"I already told Jake, and I think he was going to call you later, there's another security gig. It's a pretty easy one. Chuck Shumberg is having a meeting of the party faithful, disguised as a cocktail party, tomorrow night. All you and Jake would have to do is prevent crashers from getting in and gently escort anyone who gets too drunk, to a cab or a limo. But you would be on your feet for several hours. Are you sure you can handle that?"

"I'll be fine," Reese assured her. "Just text me the particulars, or I suppose Jake already has them."

"He does," Alexis confirmed. "Now go into Roz's office and see Eva before she goes crazy - or drives me crazy. She's been asking me if I heard from you, about every hour on the hour."

Reese grinned. "I'll do that."

Eva smiled up from her desk. "Reese, you look terrific! Um, I mean you look healthier."

"I'll take terrific," Reese responded. "I'll be going back to work with Jake tomorrow night. How are you doing."

"I'm fine. I have some proofreading for Mr. Castle too. That's a lot more fun than case reports. I just had to look up gravitons."

"I'm not even going to ask why. I'm sure whatever Rick wrote is fascinating. Listen, I was wondering, if later, when you're finished with work, you'd like to go to dinner. After, we could even see a movie, in a theater this time."

Eva looked down at her top and jeans. "I'm not really dressed for it."

Reese shook his head. "You look terrific, too. We can go someplace casual. Most of the people there won't look half as good as you do."

Warmth was spreading over Eva's skin and she hoped she wasn't blushing. "Okay. Can you pick me up at six o'clock? Or I could meet you?"

"I'll be here at six," Reese declared. He left RCI, whistling.

* * *

Castle was pleased with his progress. Things went faster with Eva picking up his typos and more glaring errors. He still had to polish, but he was enjoying his ride on the Star Train. He would have enjoyed it more if Kate hadn't had to fly back to Albany, but she wouldn't be there long. She would be coming home tomorrow to go to some shindig Shumberg was throwing. He hadn't been invited, apparently it was party confidential, but he wouldn't see much of Kate at an affair like that anyway. She would be home at least a couple of hours beforehand, and she didn't plan to stay late. They'd have some time, and he wouldn't have to bother trying to get a sitter.

Things in the house had been livelier the past few days. Instead of the usual flow of classical music from Lily's grand piano, the walls had been vibrating to a Latin beat. He'd found himself moving to the music while he was cooking and Reese and Jake had been doing their version of dancing. What they lacked in grace, they made up for in enthusiasm. Lily was more cheerful too. She seemed to be enjoying exploring a different musical realm, a lot. Cory seemed to like what Lily was playing too. Even being the music loving dog that he was, there were times when her more ponderous pieces had sent him scurrying for his doggy door, but he had re-assumed his worshipful pose while she played her latest compositions.

One possible unfortunate side affect was that Jake had asked about learning to play drums. Castle supposed it could have been worse. When he'd talked to Kirk about it, he'd been assured that if Jake maintained his interest, there wouldn't be any need for a drum set in the house right away. There were electronic versions Jake could use with earphones. He could start him out on a practice pad at school and see how it went. He also suggested that if Jake remained serious, Castle could have part of the basement soundproofed for practice sessions, but it would be a while before that would even be a consideration.

For his part, Reese had come up with a brightly costumed Cumbia Man. The new superhero had the power to make villains dance to exhaustion, after which they could be cuffed and dragged away. Reese declared that the new character could use it when bad guys had prisoners. All the police would have to do would be to wait for the dancing to stop, and everyone would be safe. Castle couldn't find fault with the concept. If it were possible in real life, a great deal of tragedy could be averted. He could think of a couple of times in his life when he would have preferred Cumbia Man to ESU.

Castle had a new project himself. As part of the new study, the kids at Latu's Trails had been presented with a sampling of Latin American cuisine. In keeping with the theme, Lily had developed a taste for empanadas. Castle had consulted a video on YouTube for instructions on their preparation and was trying to perfect his skills. So far his savory pastries were at least edible, and they were improving.

* * *

It was the day of the trivia contest. From the moment Maeve woke up, she'd tried her best to fake being sick. She'd refused her breakfast and gone into the bathroom and stuck her fingers down her throat so Uncle Dirk would hear her throwing up. Without prompting, he told her to stay in her room and rest that night, while he was at the bar.

Maeve double checked her bus schedule and laid out the best outfit she had. She had a long walk to the bus and from where it dropped her off in Des Moines, but she didn't care. She'd plotted her route at the library and gone over it so many times that she could see it when she closed her eyes. She'd also taken as many online trivia quizzes as she could and scored a hundred percent on almost all of them. She was ready. When she arrived, her registration was checked and she was assigned to a team. The teams would be winnowed down as questions were missed until the final competition would be one on one. Her team was "Thumbs Up!" They were supposed to give their fellow members a thumbs up for a correct answer. Two other teams were "High Five!" and "Fist Pump!" As the contest began, members of the audience trained their phones on the competitors. Maeve was nervous about that for a moment, but even if any of the picture ever made it to the web, Uncle Dirk wouldn't be interested anyway. He only put up with trivia games in the bar because they kept people drinking. She concentrated on the questions.


	160. Chapter 160

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 160

Dinner was wonderful. In the restaurant, Eva and Reese had blended right in. Most of the women were dressed no more formally than Eva was and the only reason Reese stood out was his height and broad shoulders. Reese told her tales of his adventures with Jake, leaving out any names or details that were confidential. Eva shared her ambitions to go back to school.

The movie was a comedy, staring an actress who'd made the jump from a web based sitcom to the big screen. Her character hadn't changed much. In her show, she'd played Velma, a hapless snoop who usually got caught. She was indulging in similar misadventures in the movie. When the showing started, Reese had taken Eva's hand, and she hadn't resisted, but when a scene appeared where Velma was poking around in a file she had no business looking at, Eva pulled away. Reese could feel her stiffen and remain withdrawn through the final scene. As Reese drove away from the theater, she was silent in the passenger seat.

"Eva talk to me," Reese implored. "Something happened during the movie. What's wrong?"

"You never asked me how I found out you knew about - you know," Eva replied, her voice quavering.

"I figured you'd tell me when you were ready. And I don't really need to know."

"Yes, you do, because I was like Velma," Eva confessed. "I was so worried about you I asked Roselyn to give me your address and when she wouldn't, I used her code to get into a file cabinet. Your address was all I wanted, but then I saw the file and you know the rest. After everything Alexis said about confidentiality... could I get fired for what I did?"

"Wow!" Reese shook his head. "I suppose if Alexis found out, you could. For that matter Roselyn should have been more careful about guarding her code. But those rules are meant to protect clients. You had every right to know what we had on you, and my address, Roz could have just called and asked my permission. I would have said yes and I think she'd know that. She was being careful about the wrong thing. So as far as I can see, no real harm done. I won't tell Alexis if you don't. Alexis knows we talked, so if your case ever comes up, I'll tell her that I told you the truth. I should have anyway, before you found out for yourself. That's on me. About the address thing with Roselyn, that's as much her fault as it is yours. I wouldn't worry about it." He reached for her hand. "But you can't do anything like that again Eva, ever, not just because of the clients, but for your own safety. There is some dangerous information in some of our files about people even worse than your father. They wouldn't hesitate to hurt you. Promise me."

Eva wet her lips, dry from popcorn salt and fear. Shakily, she sucked air back into her lungs. "I promise."

* * *

Maeve's team was good, correctly answering question after question. If she hadn't been so excited, she would have been tired of putting her thumb in the air. But as the questions got harder, her teammates began to falter. One by one they were knocked out, leaving her to face the winners from "High Five" and Fist Pump." Her breath came fast at the final question, "Who played Doctor Who for only two episodes?" She'd seen a British actor asked about that on a talk show and she remembered his answer. It was Hamish Wilson. Cheers erupted as the room was filled with raised thumbs.

Eva's trophy was small and cheap, but she'd never had any trophy before and she loved it. There was also a prepaid card loaded with a hundred dollars. That would be good start toward a computer, or she might even be able to get a tablet on sale. She could barely breathe as she stuttered out her thanks. All the way back to Polk City her head was filled with dreams.

* * *

Kevin Ryan rose early in the morning. It wasn't easy. He and Esposito had been working late that night at a major local watering hole, surveilling employees who were suspected of ripping off credit card numbers. So far they hadn't spotted a thing, but they were going to try a different vantage point later that day. He really should have slept in, but this was the only time he had to work on Mavis Utbridge's disappearance. He must have sifted through thousands, maybe tens of thousands of pictures of thumbs already, and come up empty.

It made sense, really. Assuming it hadn't decomposed in an unmarked grave somewhere, why the hell would there be a picture of a kidnap victim's thumb? Still this was his shot and it wasn't costing him anything but a couple of hours of sleep. He'd run on less, much less, when the kids were little. He was older now and he needed glasses to ease the strain of staring at his computer, but he wasn't giving up.

Not wanting to slog through anything he'd seen before, he set his filter for the last twenty-four hours. He scrolled though, looking for straight thumbs attached to pretty blonds. He almost missed his target in a picture of a room full of upraised thumbs, but there she was, holding a trophy in one hand, with a straight thumb pointing upwards on the other. The legend on the picture was, "Thumbs Up for the Trivia Queen." The trophy holder was unnamed, but he could draw data on the photographer and the location of the shot. It was more than a start. He'd need to use more software from RCI, but this time of the morning, he'd have the place to himself. Even a GPS tag would would put him miles ahead of the game.

* * *

Kate climbed aboard Johanna to fly back to the Bronx. She wasn't looking forward to Shumberg's meeting. There was something to be said for a free drink or two and the canapes usually weren't too bad at these affairs, but there was usually a lot of strategizing about building the party war chest. Inevitably, someone would look to her about getting money out of Castle and his rich author friends. That was the worst part. Rick was rarely slow with the checkbook for a worthy cause, but he liked to know where it was going, and a general war chest didn't fit that bill. Not everything the party did or stood for was to his liking, or hers either for that matter. They both liked to pick their battles. And as far as approaching his friends, that he would do only for something in which he deeply believed. Kate was no different.

The best thing was that she'd managed to get away from the Capital early enough to have some time with Castle before the kids arrived. She'd also have time with Lily and the boys before the meeting slash party. She was curious about Lily's new music. From Rick's description, it sounded like fun. She wanted to know how serious Jake's interest was in being a drummer, too. That could be a whole new headache - literally. And Alexis and Sergei were having their housewarming that weekend. It would be a family affair. All the Kasparovs would be there, as would her father and Martha. She and Rick would be bringing Lily and the boys too. Weather permitting, Sergei had planned a barbecue on the deck overlooking the river, with potluck contributions welcome. Rick had been working on Latin American cookery and had promised to come up with something exciting. That could be an adventure all by itself.


	161. Chapter 161

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 161

Delicious smells floated to her nose as Kate opened the front door. She followed them to the kitchen and Castle, who immediately grabbed her and kissed her soundly. "What are you making?" she asked, her arms still firmly around his waist.

"Special meatballs. I figured you'd need fortification before your event tonight, and the kids like them too. I can also crumble some of them up to use in the meat sauce for my dish for Alexis' housewarming on Sunday."

"Very efficient," Kate commented. "Need any help?"

"Just about done," Castle reported. "They just need to simmer until it's time to dump them on the pasta for dinner."

"Good, then we have..." Kate consulted her watch, "an hour and a half before the kids get home, and I wanted to talk."

"Just talk?"

"For now," Kate confirmed. "If I can cut out early tonight, maybe we can do something more energetic."

A grin spread over Castle's face. "I'll look forward to that. So how comfortable do you want to be when we talk? Couch? Breakfast room? My office? Your office? The bedroom?"

"Definitely too much distraction in the bedroom. Let's stick to the breakfast room. If you have a pot ready, I could some of Castle's special blend."

"Special blend for a special woman, coming right up."

Kate wrapped her hands around the warm mug and gazed into the depths of the dark liquid. "I don't want to run for another term in the State Senate. I've had it Rick, at least for a while. I am so tired of jerks who care more about what something is going to cost, than making the lives of their constituents better. It's a good thing I don't carry a gun in the chamber because I might start shooting people. When this term ends, I'm not going back to Albany. I might even resign at the end of the session in June."

"Kate, obviously I'm not objecting. I'd love to have you home and so would the kids, especially Lily. I can tell that she craves more time with someone of the feminine persuasion. She can talk to Alexis and to Mother, when you're not available, but it's not the same as having you here. What happened to bring this on?"

"A lot of things. Everything I've worked on I've had to kick butt just to make people even think about doing the right thing. I mean it's not everyone. There are the good ones like Topher and Cap, well Cap most of the time. But for a lot of those guys, and the women too, the moral compass seems to point straight to the bank. This thing tonight will be like that. I can work the room to try to get people interested in the train initiative, or some grants to spur more development in the South Bronx, but that's not what I'm supposed to be there for. The money Shumberg is raising is to perpetuate the power of the party. It's for advertising, ground campaigns, and advanced analytics. It has nothing to do with actually accomplishing anything except winning seats."

"So the pressure of frustration has been mounting in the Beckett magma and the volcano is finally erupting," Castle recapped. "It sounds like one decision is made and one remains. Resignation or serve out your term? Is there a deadline?"

"Not really," Kate said. "if there was an election scheduled for this year, it would be September, but since this is an off year, if I resigned, Hodgekins could declare a special election at his discretion to fill my seat or just leave it empty until the next election. One way would cost the state extra time and money, the other way would leave our district unrepresented for a year."

"And neither one of those options sits well with you," Castle guessed.

"You're right," Kate agreed. "I need to serve out my term, but I need to get my teeth into something I can feel will really make a difference while I'm doing it. Right now, I'm just not sure what that will be."

"Well, there's no shortage of needs in the state, or in this city for that matter," Castle noted. "You'll find your next mission, or it will find you."

Kate reached her hand across the table, for his. "Have I told you that I love you?"

"Not since you came home."

"Consider it said."

* * *

"Bro, what's going on with you?" Esposito asked, as they sat at the end of the bar watching the servers come and go from the register.

"What do you mean?" Ryan responded.

"I mean your ass is sanding a hole in your bar stool. You haven't been still for one minute. You're someplace else. One of your kids sick or something?"

"No Man, they're fine. Nothing like that. I need to get to Iowa."

"Iowa," Esposito repeated. "Why the hell do you need to get to Iowa?"

"I have a little project of my own," Ryan confessed. "I'm looking for Mavis Utbridge."

"That baby who disappeared years ago? Dude, she's probably dead. And if she isn't, how are you gonna find her? The FBI looked for years. So did every two bit detective who wanted to cash in."

"She's not dead, Javi," Ryan insisted. "I've got a line on her - in Iowa. And if I'm right, that means I can send SG and Nick to good schools and get Jenny a house."

"You're dreaming bro," Esposito asserted, "like when you bought the kit to make your car run on water."

"Hey, that worked," Ryan protested.

"Except that after all that work, you weren't saving a dime. I didn't get all of the lecture Alexis gave you, but didn't she say something about energy in, energy out, and the laws of thermodynamics?"

"Yeah," Ryan admitted, "But this is different. I know Mavis is in Iowa, somewhere around Des Moines. That's more than the FBI or anyone else ever knew. If I can get there and poke around, I can find her."

"What does Jenny say about all this?"

"She thought I was wasting my time too. But then I showed her what I have and she's on board. It's not just the money with her. She feels sorry for the family and she'd like to see Mavis come home. I would too. I have a picture of her Javi. I mean she looks okay, but who knows what whoever took her has been doing to her all these years? Her family has never given up hope. That's why the reward is so high. They deserve to see her again and she deserves to be reunited with them. I'm going to do that, Javi. I'm going to bring her home."

"You're really into this, aren't you? Then I''m behind you, but we need to finish this job first. We find our rip off artist, the client is happy; Alexis is happy; you ask her for some comp time for the nights we've been spending here. Hell, I'll ask for some too. I want to work with Manuel on some T-ball. The kid's got a mean swing. And if you need insights from my superior experience, you can call. So keep your eyes open and let's get this done. Then you can go find Mavis."

A/N Guest, I took Livy from Olivia on SVU. She is a strong highly competent woman.


	162. Chapter 162

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 162

"You're looking good Reese," Kate said as he did a cursory check of her invitation. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine Senator Beckett," he responded with the formality required by his duties for the night. "You have a good evening."

"That would taking some doing," Kate confided, "but I appreciate the sentiment."

Luisa Rodriguez watched from a distance. No one paid attention to her on the hotel grounds. As a maid, she had a staff I.D. clipped to her uniform, and no one ever paid much attention to her anyway, unless they needed something. She was hoping for a chance to talk to Senator Beckett. She'd heard, dating back to when the senator was Advocate, that she was willing to listen, that she was willing to help. Luisa needed help. The only building where she could afford to live with her children was old, so old that there was still lead paint on the walls. It had been covered up, but the paint that covered it was peeling. She'd been told there had been a plan to fix it, but the funding to all such plans had been cut in 2017 and only some of it had been restored when president Ware took office. There was talk that President Teal might get to it, but she had many other things to think about. Senator Beckett was Luisa's best chance. She hoped she could slip in to the party later, and catch the Senator's attention.

The gathering was much as Kate had expected. The quality of scotch at the open bar was high, although not as high as the bottles Castle treasured. The special guests were quickly being lubricated in hopes that money would slide more easily from their bank accounts. A quick scan of the party regulars showed a couple State representatives worth talking to about the grants for the South Bronx. She couldn't see anyone she could approach about the trains, but she'd had a couple of encouraging texts from Turk Brown's office, so that wasn't entirely depressing. She decided to slowly make her way through a glass of white wine and smile through whatever discussions Shumberg had in mind for her.

An hour into the conclave, Kate was seriously considering a second glass of wine, or something even stronger, when she was nervously approached by a thin woman wearing a hotel ID. "Senator Beckett," she said hesitantly, "could I talk to you _uno_ _moment_ _o_?"

"Of course...Ms. Rodriguez, what can I do for you?"

"I tried to call another senator, he wouldn't talk to me. My _ninos_. I'm afraid they eat lead."

"You mean lead paint?" Kate asked.

"Si, old paint. I watch so they not put in in their mouths, but more peels. I can't watch every minute. Landlord should fix it. He won 't. My friends say law should make him fix it. No one helps."

"Right, the money to make landlords take care of that was cut. There's some, but not as much as there should be." Kate handed Luisa her phone with the note page open. Can you put your address and number in here? I'll look into it for you. How many children do you have?"

" _Quatro_."

"I'll do my best to keep them healthy, Ms. Rodriguez."

From the corner of her eye, Kate could see Jake approaching. "Any problem here, Senator Beckett?"

"Not for me Jake, I'm just talking to a constituent." Jake nodded and walked away.

Luisa looked at Kate with relief. " _Gracias_ , Senator Beckett."

Kate smiled at the slightly shaky woman."No, thank you, Ms. Rodriguez, for letting me know about the problem." Kate couldn't help thinking to herself that Castle had been right. A mission had found her.

* * *

Castle moaned as the alarm on his phone went off. Last night he'd had her favorite red wine and chocolate blackout cake waiting to lift Kate's mood, but it hadn't been necessary. She was animated by a problem worth attacking. Little kids could be poisoned and she was going to put a stop to it. By the time her energy had been exhausted, in the most wonderful of ways, he was ready for more than a few hours in dreamworld himself. They ended too soon. Lily had her classes at Juilliard and he, and hopefully Kate too, would be taking the boys to Akido, then keeping them occupied until it was time to pick Lily up again.

Since the weather had finally settled into some semblance of Spring, he had been considering a trip to the zoo. Reese enjoyed observing characteristics of the animals that he could integrate into both heroes and villains. Jake imagined trips to Antarctica, Africa, or Asia, depending on the exhibit. Either way, while the boys were engaged in their own flights of fancy, he and Kate could walk, and occasionally even sit, together and talk to each other.

Aside from Kate's enthusiastic plans for political action, they had a lot to talk about. Lily's birthday and Easter were both getting close. His birthday was even closer, but he hoped Kate would bring that up without him having to mention it himself. In any case, as the amount of gray in his hair increased, he faced his own birthdays with less excitement. Still, considering what at several times had almost been the alternative, some celebration was always in order.

He was most concerned with Lily. She would be participating in her first Spring concert with the other students from Juilliard and she was more than a little apprehensive. Sometimes he longed for her days with the Young People's Orchestra, when music was just fun and she could bound out on stage to take her place at the piano without worrying about the judgment of the world. But now, viewing music as her life's work, she felt the weight of every note played for an audience other than her family. It was a huge burden, perhaps too much of one. At least she'd been encouraged at Juilliard in her foray into the integration of Latin rhythms. It was hard to avoid joy when she and everyone around her was bouncing to the beat. He wondered if she might like to jam with Esposito. He'd have to ask Javi what he thought about adding a few riffs to Manuel's next play date at the Castle castle. Jake would want to jump right in there too. His enthusiasm for drums hadn't waned. While his practice pad made almost no noise at all, he did use his hands to beat on almost any available surface. Kirk had suggested that other than an electronic drum set, a _ricardo_ , a small type of conga, might be the least offensive instrument to get for the boy, and fit in best with what Lily was doing. So far, Rick had been hesitant to pull the trigger on that one. He hated to think about how his prose would emerge with the pounding of a conga, even a small one, in his ears. Still, he'd survived his mother trying to learn to play the violin, as well as Alexis' early efforts. He could survive the nascent rhythmic stylings of his son.

Reese was staring intensely at a monkey picking up something to throw. Castle grimaced. Ecch! Did it had to be be that? Castle could just picture the gross out factor of his son's next artistic creation. Perhaps it would be a politician hopelessly traumatized by too many speeches originating from the wrong orifice. Rick considered slipping Reese a picture or two of some of Kate's more obnoxious fellow lawmakers. On the other hand, that might be just a little too close to the truth.


	163. Chapter 163

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 163

"Is everything set up" Alexis asked, nervously pushing back her pregnancy thickened hair.

"Will you relax?" Sergei urged. "The weather is beautiful. The deck is all set up, including an easy-clean table for Bernard and the twins. The grill is lit and there is enough other food coming to feed an army. You know my mother. She could feed Russian troops in the middle of a starvation February."

"I know," Alexis agreed. "I just want everything to be perfect."

"Everything looks wonderful. The new furniture is beautiful. Except for whatever havoc Bernard will create between now and the housewarming, the house is spotless. I don't know what you're worried about anyway. It's all family. No one is coming in here with a white glove. They just want to celebrate with us. This should not be a high stress situation."

"You're right," Alexis conceded. "I guess I'm just nesting."

Sergei put a hand on her expanding belly. "No kidding." He consulted his watch. "We have about half an hour before people start arriving. Why don't you put your feet up and I'll minimize whatever chaos Bernard creates in the meantime."

Alexis lightly kissed his lips. "Thanks."

* * *

Rick held his special dish in an insulated cover on his lap while Kate drove to Greenpoint. Reese beat a rhythm against his thighs while Lily hummed and Reese sketched on a tablet. The morning had not gone without incident. After Sunday waffles, Kate had ensconced herself in her office to contact colleagues she felt would be sympathetic to Luisa Rodriguez's plight. Castle had been putting his culinary creation together, while with some help from Corey, avoiding any kitchen catastrophes from the twins. But Jake had managed to prop his practice pad over a metal wastebasket to amplify the sound, while Lily was trying to work out a theme, producing a musical skirmish that interrupted Kate's efforts, even through a closed door. Things had settled down only shortly before the Castle crew was herded into the car.

Traffic was heavy for a late Sunday morning, but with her police skills still intact, Kate expertly navigated it, arriving on time but not rudely early. Several loads of Kasparovs pulled in the driveway behind them and Jim and Martha arrived by car service.

Contributions to the potluck were placed on a long table on the deck, and covered to prevent exploration by unwanted multi legged visitors. Alexis led a tour through four bedrooms including the master with an en suite bath, Bernard's sanctum, and a nursery for Elizabeth. Sergei was using one of the bedrooms as a man cave, with floor to ceiling bookcases for his reference book collection, as well as a large screen TV, and a small refrigerator. He also had a display case with antique analytical instruments, some of which he'd gathered from childhood and stored in his parent's garage. The smile on Tim's face was a reflection that the accumulation had found a better home.

Alexis proudly showed off the family room on the lower level, complete with a mini-trampoline for Bernard and plenty of safe space for a baby to crawl. Rick and Kate were both impressed by the kitchen, almost as upgraded as their own, with ample counter space and cabinets with carousels and self-closing drawers. As the trek had gone on, Lily had dropped to the back of the pack to walk with Jim. When the family finally headed back to the deck, Lily took a seat next to her grandfather.

The gathering started on appetizers, iced tea, and lemonade, while Sergei put hamburgers, vegi-burgers, and the kabobs that his brothers had brought, on the grill. The amount of food was overwhelming. Some of the leftovers would be taken home by the guests, but Alexis would still have a full refrigerator for a week.

Jim Beckett noticed that Lily had been far from cleaning her plate, and after desserts were dished out, asked if his granddaughter would like to take a walk with him, so he could work off some of the excess calories he'd consumed. Lily readily agreed.

"Bad morning?" Jim asked as they slowly made their way along the path next to the construction site adjacent to the house, which was devoid of activity for the weekend.

"It was just Jake," Lily explained. "He was beating out a rhythm really loud and it clashed with what I was trying to write. He knows the syncopation I'm using right now. I've heard him do it right. I think he was just trying to make me mad."

Jim put a hand on the silk of Lily's dark hair, so much like Katie's had been at Lily's age. "Brothers do that. I remember taking any opportunity to make my sister, your Great Aunt Theresa, miserable. She still reminds me about it sometimes. He'll be more interested in other things eventually. Just try not to let him get to you too much. Other than having to put up with Jake, how's your music going? You have a concert coming up, don't you?"

Lily nodded. "The Spring Concert with the other kids at Juilliard pre-college. Grandpa, some of them are so good, it makes me nervous to play with them."

"That's why they're there, isn't it?" Jim asked, "because they play so well?"

Lily nodded again. "So tell me," Jim continued, "how many of them are composers, like you?"

"They all have to compose a little bit," Lily explained, "but there are only two other composition majors. Everyone else is majoring in instruments."

"And the other composition majors, how old are they?" Jim questioned.

"Evgeny is fifteen and Karen is seventeen. This will be her last year before college."

"Do you think that by the time you are older, you'll be getting to their levels as a composer?"

"With Evgeny, I think I'm as good as he is now," Lily admitted. "I started a little earlier, but I pick things up faster than he does. I'm catching up to Karen."

"Sounds to me like you have nothing to worry about and every reason to be proud of yourself," Jim declared. "You're not going for a career on the concert stage are you?"

Lily shook her head.

"You'll be the one writing the pieces that all those others play. Lily, almost everyone remembers the names of composers, even hundreds of years later. Very few remember those who play their works, no matter how talented. Your gift is special and rare. If those other students are lucky, when they grow up they'll be playing what you compose. You might even be standing out in front of all of them conducting it. So you just play the best you can, and write the music that flows from your heart. Will you do that?"

Lily's steps began to lighten. "I will, Grandpa, I promise."

"Good. Then we we can go back and maybe you can grab some of those cookies that you like so much, that your Grandma Sarah makes, and take them home with you. Do you have a special place you can keep them away from your brothers?"

"Daddy helped me make one. It's hidden behind a shelf in my room and it has a lock. I keep my diary in there too. Even if Reese and Jake could find it, they wouldn't be able to get into it.

"That's good," Jim declared. "Your mama had one too. Everyone needs a special place of their own."


	164. Chapter 164

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 164

Kevin Ryan stepped off a plane in Des Moines. He'd never been there before, or for that matter spent much time in the Midwest. His target was the venue where the trivia contest had taken place. In New York, he would have expected a bar, but from what he'd been able to glean, though alcohol was served, the place was more in the manner of a club for encyclopedic minded geeks. It was open on Sundays, but not for several hours yet. He would have loved to get a later flight, but unless he'd wanted to sit in a hub for several hours, there hadn't been one available. He decided to go pick up his rental car, check into his hotel, call Jenny, and talk to Javi while he waited. There was one good thing about being away from the coasts, rooms were less expensive. Since he was on his own dime, that helped.

Citing safety concerns, the rental car agency had switched almost entirely over to self driving cars. In a way, it was a relief to Ryan, not having to cope with navigating in a strange city, but his worry meter also kicked in about what would happen if the GPS signal was knocked out. He'd read enough conspiracies where EMPs were employed to cripple cities and even nations. It could happen at any time. He just hoped he'd be within walking distance of his destination if it ever did. The car was nice enough, if small. While at times he envied the height of Castle, or the grown up Jake and Reese, he was much more comfortable than they would have been in the compact vehicle.

His hotel wasn't bad. Much of what came at a premium in New York, such as private wifi, was standard. The brand of coffee that accompanied the in-room pot wasn't up to RCI standards, but he could live with that. All he needed was something to keep him awake and alert. To gather intel at the club, he would be posing as a trivia buff. He wished he could have taken Castle with him for that; the man had a mind for useless information that was almost unrivaled. Ryan had studied the books recommended by trivia competition manuals and he had already excelled at facts about old television sitcoms. He'd be able to fit in long enough to get a name and maybe even a location for the straight thumbed trivia champ.

* * *

Kate pulled her mother-in-law aside at the potluck. "Martha, I want to make some plans for Rick's birthday. The past few years it's been swallowed up in preparations for Lily's birthday and for Easter. He's been handling so much, I thought it would be nice to do something special just for him."

"Katherine, that's a lovely thought," Martha responded, "although I don't think we could ever top that phony murder we staged for him. And his birthday is next Sunday. That doesn't give us a lot of time. What did you have in mind?"

"Nothing too involved. He really hates being reminded he's getting older anyway. I should be able to fly home for the weekend and we'll be following our regular Saturday routine with the boys and Lily. I was just hoping to give him some time to relax Sunday night, maybe see something fun off Broadway and have a theater supper together afterward."

"You want Jim and me to stay with the kids?" Martha asked.

"No, I've already hit Tatiana up for that, but I was wondering if you could recommend one of the smaller shows, one I can get tickets for."

Martha's face lit. "Indeed I can. It's called _Merciful Heavens_. One of my students was cast in a supporting role and it is just marvelous. Very funny with great music. Una must be a hundred by now, but even she liked it. With everyone trying to get into the revival of _Hamilton_ , there are still tickets available for _Merciful_. If you order today, you shouldn't have any difficulty. You'll want to make your supper reservations as soon as you can. There's a new place, Interlude, not far from the theater, that is supposed to be just marvelous, but it's only a few tables and they fill up fast. I've heard they have a _Chateaubriand_ for two that is to die for."

Kate grabbed Martha in a hug. "Rick's favorite! Thank you Martha. You are a miracle."

"Exactly what I tell my students. Now let's get back to the others before he suspects."

* * *

Eva looked out at the water from her perch on a large rock on the shore of the lake in Central Park. She'd been wary about Reese climbing up, with the wound in his leg still healing, but he'd made it with no trouble and easily lifted her to join him. Now she sat in the shelter of his thighs, leaning against him, with his arms around her waist. She couldn't recall feeling as safe or as content. They'd walked hand in hand through the meadow, silently enjoying the Spring sunshine and each other's company. They didn't need to find something to talk about, it was enough to be together.

She could see couples in rowboats on the lake. She'd never rowed a boat. It never looked hard when someone did it on TV or in a movie, but it wasn't going smoothly for everyone on the water. She watched one couple, where the young man had so much trouble coordinating his oars, that his girlfriend had taken one of them and they were attempting to row together. Eva didn't think they were doing too well. The boat was going in a circle and getting nowhere.

Until Reese, she'd felt like her life was like that, worse than that really. When her father was alive and around, it was a struggle just to try to stay out of his way and not say anything that would set him off. It was a struggle she usually lost. Then even when he was gone, she was just getting through her days at her miserable job, trying to make enough money to live on, then waking up in the morning just to go through the whole thing again.

Now Eva had plans. New York was the first state with tuition free college. She'd talked to Alexis about fitting her work hours around her classes. Alexis had cheered her on and even told her that she used to tutor and offered to help Eva if she had trouble with her studies. Reese was mostly supportive too, although he'd wanted to make sure he'd have a chance to see her. She found the little boy expression on his face when they'd talked about it endearing. It wouldn't be a problem. Eva planned to start out slowly with one class in the summer session, while she got used to being in school again. Then if that worked out, she could pick up more classes in the fall.

Sometimes she was hesitant to close her eyes at night, afraid that when she opened them in the morning, Reese and her job at RCI would all have been a dream. In the reflection of the light off the water, she closed them now. In the warmth of the very strong and real body at her back, she could imagine a future with hope.


	165. Chapter 165

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 165

When Ryan gained admittance to the club, there were several small but lively competitions going on, focusing on various subjects. He was willing to let the ones on the Oz universe and the multiple incarnations of Flash go, but was surprised to find one on passages of the Bible. After twelve years at the terrifying mercy of the nuns in Catholic School, he felt prepared to sit in. After rising three levels before getting knocked out, he stayed to listen to the rest, and keep his ears open for whatever other information he could glean.

He was having very little luck until, with popcorn and drinks, a group of Whovians gathered around a large screen. As favorite episodes rolled, the subject of the winner of the recent tournament arose. There was some mystery attached to her. She hadn't been to the club either before or after the competition. Ryan hit pay dirt when one of the members reported googling her name as a trivia competitor and finding nothing except for mentions of the competition they had held. Ryan mentally seared two important pieces of information into his brain; the girl he believed to be Mavis Utbridge was going by Maeve O'Leary and she claimed to be from Polk City, less than half an hour away.

When he returned to his hotel, Ryan began his online search for O'Learys in Polk City. With a population of around four thousand, twelve percent of which was Irish American, there were quite a few, but he couldn't find any listings for a Maeve. There was, however, an O'Leary's bar. It was possible that someone there might know her, or know of her. Time had drifted into the late hours when bar patrons might be forthcoming with information, but not at their most lucid. Ryan decided that the next day he'd change hotels to one in Polk City, and make some new friends at O'Leary's bar.

* * *

Before turning in for the night, Kate double checked her arrangements for the following Sunday. Martha had been right about Interlude. She'd been told she'd reserved the last available table and urged to call right away if she had a change of plans. _Merciful Heavens_ tickets, also as Martha had predicted, were no problem. She ordered two for Rick's favorite spot, third row center.

Monday morning, Kate had breakfast with her family and saw Lily and the twins off to school before preparing for her flight back to Albany. "When do you think you'll be home?" Castle asked.

"The session this week is scheduled to run through Thursday afternoon. So with luck I'll make it Thursday night, otherwise Friday morning. I want to check in with a couple of my constituents, but we should still be able to manage a long weekend."

"That will be great," Castle said, thinking he might have a halfway decent birthday with Kate around, regardless of what April Fools tricks he expected from the boys. He'd heard some of the whispers between the two and knew they were planning something. He hadn't managed to find out what, but he suspected it would be loud, messy, or both. Considering his own prankish endeavors growing up, it would be karma. The crab apples had not fallen far from the tree.

Much as he would have loved to work on his Star Train stories, after a goodbye kiss with Kate, the edits on the final book in the Holy Snake Oil Saga had arrived and he had rewriting to do. It was his least favorite part of the process, but part of the dues he paid for keeping up his relationship with Curtis and Strom. He'd been toying with the idea of having his own imprint. The days of typesetters and lengthy production times had passed. Just about anyone could put out a book in few days. It wouldn't necessarily be a good book, but the industry was swimming in tomes. There were even occasional winners that came out of nowhere. He had several legs up on all that. His name and face were well known, and either one would sell books. He knew more than enough people in the publishing world, to hire a good staff. He wouldn't even need much, if anything, in the way of offices. Communication would be electronic. The participants in a project wouldn't even have to be on the same continent, let alone the same city.

The more he thought about the idea, the more he liked it. He had enough money and enough investments, so that he could write what he wanted to, when he wanted too. In the last decade he'd developed more than enough discipline to get the work out more for its own sake, rather than because someone was cracking a whip, and he'd become a better writer for it. A call to his business manager was definitely in order to start the exploratory wheels rolling. If he recalled, there had been a Castle Press that had started in the 1800's but closed down years before. Maybe he could revive the name. As long as he was thinking about it, he'd have his lawyer look into the possibility.

* * *

Ryan drank his beer as slowly as he could, making sure he consumed enough bar snacks to dampen the effect. He'd managed to make the acquaintance of several other patrons through a lively game of darts. The population of the bar was not large during the day. Drinks were served by the bartender, Dirk. Ryan had been told by his new buddies that on most nights, Dirk was joined by his niece, a cute barmaid by the name of Maeve. He crossed his fingers that he had struck gold.

Maeve was almost late to work. She had been at an electronics store trying to figure out what kind of computer she could use, that she could also hide from Uncle Dirk. She didn't have enough money to get what she wanted yet, but she was getting close. The hole where she was hiding her money wouldn't fit any computer or even any tablet she thought was worth having. She could try to pry up more boards, maybe under her bed, but it would take time, and she wasn't even sure it would work. It would also ruin her fingernails. That hadn't mattered much when she was little, but working in the bar, the better she looked, the better her tips were, and if Uncle Dirk noticed, he might get suspicious. She also wanted to look good in case she got her chance to try out for _Trivia Track_. She was wondering if there was somewhere else she could keep one, maybe a storage space not too far away. That would cost money too. Everything did. Baseball season would be starting soon. She just had to hope that the fans watching it would have cash and be as generous as the ones watching basketball had been.

Ryan regarded the slightly breathless girl who pulled on her short apron and began to to work behind the bar. He didn't even need to study her face. Her thumbs were a dead giveaway. Her face was a pretty good match for what RCI's software had predicted as well, but DNA was what mattered. He would have to get a sample. He hadn't formulated a plan how to do that, but he'd find a way to improvise. He smiled at her, ordered another beer and a basket of pub chips.

A/N Guest, free college tuition in New York just happened this week, courtesy of Governor Cuomo, so I integrated it into the story for Eva. Ryan has always expressed ambitions for his kids, and the program is only for public colleges and universities. There is also a catch. Students must live and work in New York for four years afterward or be forced to pay the money back. Eva would be fine with that. The Ryan kids might want to attend a private college and/or to go out of state. They might want an Ivy League school - or Ryan might want it for them. Then there could be graduate school or possibly law school or medical school. Ryan also wants a nice house for Jenny. If you recall, he actually started agonizing about this, in real time, long before the free tuition program was passed. That was during sixth season, in _The Good the Bad and the Baby_ , when he bought all those lottery tickets. Also, at that time, the kids could have gone to the city colleges pretty cheap. They are good schools, but that is obviously not what he had in mind. You can't blame a father for wanting the best for his family.


	166. Chapter 166

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 166

Maeve served a beer and chips to a customer she'd never see before, who was sitting at the bar with the darts players. He was wearing a wedding ring, but that didn't always make a difference in the way customers treated her. His smile, though, was friendly and nothing more. Still, she felt like he was watching her. While she served, images of all the computers she'd looked at ran through her head. She considered getting the smallest, the mix of a laptop and a pad. She could hide that in her purse until she had a better place, except that there were a couple of times when she'd suspected Uncle Dirk had looked in her purse. She wasn't sure. Nothing was missing, but things didn't seem quite the way she left them. Until she could hide her money away, she was always careful to keep it in her pockets. Now she always kept a pad or two in her purse too. Her cycles were very regular and she was almost never surprised, but she knew it bothered Uncle Dirk to look at them. Maggie, the woman who'd watched her for Uncle Dirk when she was younger, had told her all about the monthly curse and brought her what she needed. When she'd asked Dirk to get them for her when Maggie was gone, he'd just given her money, and sent her to the drugstore at the corner. She'd noticed he had problems with blood, or at least blood from women. He watched hockey, football, and boxing, but when a woman in the bar had cut herself, he'd gone white. He'd even been nervous when Maeve had fallen down and scraped her knees.

Dirk mixed up a Virgin Mary for the pregnant customer who sitting with her husband at a table. At least she was being careful. He didn't get many pregnant women in the bar and if they ordered anything with alcohol in it, his stomach spewed acid into his throat. It took so little to turn a good life to complete crap. Megan had been happy working for the Van Pellens. They were polite and always paid her on time. She'd loved the house and explored it when she had breaks. She'd even discovered long forgotten passages employed by servants from the era when they were supposed to be seen as little as possible. She'd told him all about them and even made sketches.

Dirk had been happy too. He'd been working for Flanagan's and saving money as fast as he could, toward having a bar of his own some day. He'd been overjoyed when Megan announced she was pregnant. He was willing to put off his dream a little longer and use his savings so Megan could stay home and take care of herself, but she'd insisted she'd be bored. She wanted to work as long as she could until the baby was born. She and the baby were healthy and strong until the day she'd slipped and tumbled down the Van Pellen's grand staircase. When they'd called him, he'd rushed to the hospital, arriving seconds after the ambulance. She was covered in blood. The doctors shook their heads grimly. The baby had no chance, and not much later, neither did Megan. An embolism took her life.

The Van Pellens expressed their condolences. They even came to the funeral, but he would never forgive them. The staff from the Van Pellen house did their best to keep in touch with him. It didn't matter. Everything that mattered had been taken from him. He went through his days at Flanagan's caring about nothing, until he heard that Miranda Van Pellen had gotten married to some little twerp named Pieter Utbridge and was pregnant. The world was rubbing his own loss in his face, but he couldn't look away. Well meaning messages from time to time from the Van Pellen staff kept him updated on the happenings in the house, including how obsessed the Van Pellens were that everything be perfect for an upcoming stay of Mavis, Miranda's daughter.

Dirk had his chance. He remembered everything Megan had told him about the Van Pellen house. He'd even kept her sketches. When the time came, he took from the Van Pellens. part of what had been taken from him. He'd picked Iowa as a destination, at random, as a place very different from New York. He'd used his savings to buy a bar on the edge of bankruptcy and brought it back to profitability. He had a business and he had a little girl, named after his grandmother, and he would do his best to keep both of them.

Maeve couldn't keep her mind from wandering back to computers and trivia as she sliced limes. She nicked her finger. She wrapped a cocktail napkin around it to stop the bleeding, until she could get one of the band aids kept in the first aid kit in the back room. It took several napkins for the bleeding to stop and she discarded them in the trash behind the bar, an act that did not escape the eyes of Kevin Ryan. His problem would be how to retrieve them.

As it got closer to closing time, Kevin hadn't had any opportunities to get near the bloody napkins. At final call, he hid in a stall in the mens room. The lights in his hiding place were turned out at two-thirty, but he gave himself another hour before he ventured out, using his pocket Mag Lite to navigate the bar. The small trash can from behind the bar had been dumped in a bigger bin and he went through it until he found his prizes. Getting out would be a bigger problem. There was an alarm system. Even if he disabled it, which he wasn't sure he could do, the alarm company would likely have a record and contact the owner. There was nothing to do but try to sleep for a while at one of the tables and then resume his hiding place until he could sneak out when the bar opened. It would be a very uncomfortable night, but if Maeve O'Leary was who he thought she was, it would be worth it.

* * *

Castle put down the phone after a call with his business manager. Saul had not been enthusiastic about the idea of Castle starting a publishing house, even a tiny one. The start up of a business always had complications and he didn't like the idea of Castle ending his relationship with Curtis and Strom, at all. He did note that the upside was that lion's share of the profits from Castle's books, if there were any, would go to Castle, not to his outside publisher. Making that happen, however, meant that Castle would have to depend on his own PR campaigns instead of having them launched for him.

Castle was not bothered by that. Paula had always been terrific at coming up with PR ideas, and if he had to up her commission or even hire a PR firm, he'd still make out fine. Smiling, making TV appearances, and shaking hands at book signings would be on him. But it always had been. That wouldn't be that much of a change. With Star Train, he might even go back to doing signings at cons. He could take Reese and Jake with him, maybe the whole family, during the summers, and they'd have a great time. He'd had some of his best adventures with Alexis that way. Lily and the boys could even polish up the language skills Lagi had insisted all his students learn, at cons around the world. A grin spread over Rick's face as he imagined the Castle family journeys.


	167. Chapter 167

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 167

"How long has it been since you sent the napkins to the lab?" Jenny asked as Ryan nervously paced the apartment, after they'd returned from church.

"Less than a week," Kevin admitted, "and they said it would take a while because they'd have to account for any contamination the picked up in the trash bins."

"Then we should do something to take your mind off it. SG is going to an Easter/ April Fools party today and Nicholas is going to the movies with his friends. We could go to a movie ourselves. Ben Gleib has a new one that's supposed to be hilarious. Then we could get some mu shu pork and spring rolls," she suggested. "That always puts you in a good mood."

"I could go for Dragon Garden," Ryan agreed, "or anywhere but an Irish bar. I spent enough time in one of those, to last me a long time.

* * *

Reese and Jake covered their mouths to avoid having the giggles escape to their parents' ears. With Mama home and being all mushy with Daddy because of his birthday, even if it hadn't been April Fool's Day on top of Easter, they needed to do something. Once the boys had stuffed themselves with Easter breakfast, and stowed their Easter books and toys, Jake had sneaked around setting everything in the house with a timer on it, to go off at the time most likely to bother his parents or Lily. Reese had something more visual in mind. He'd been loosening the tops of things, dish detergent, salad dressing, whatever he expected his parents or his sister to pick up, that would slip and spill. With any luck, the jokes would go on all day and maybe even that night when Tatiana was there.

So far it hadn't been quite the weekend Kate was expecting. She'd made it back Friday, with an adjournment due to the holiday. Rick had made his delight at having her home very clear, but he hadn't needed cheering up. If anything, he'd been at the height of Castilian excitement as he regaled her with his plans for Castle Press. In a way, it made pulling off her plans to merge his birthday with Easter, easier. He was so immersed in his new project, he paid little attention to the delivery of his Star Train cake for the afternoon celebration with the children. He had been jolted by the timers going off during the day and she heard a few words not meant for young ears escape his lips when the third spill of the day covered the kitchen floor, but his level of excitement reminded her of their early meetings at murder scenes, when he was fascinated by every gruesome detail. Despite the deepening lines, his face looked boyish.

Kate was seriously beginning to wonder it he would be settled down enough to sit through _Merciful_ _Heavens_. As it turned out, by evening, Rick was more than ready for a change of scene. By the end of the day, the pranks had begun to wear on him, especially when Lily's favorite orange and carrot juice had ended up not only on the kitchen floor but in droplets on the cabinetry and on her favorite pants. She'd run screaming after her brothers, who'd barricaded the door of their room. Shortly, the frustrated pounding of a toccata had rattled the walls. Jake fought back with loud drumming. Castle assigned the twins double chores for the next two weeks and Kate had a heart to heart with Lily, before Tatiana arrived. Castle gave the boys a final warning that any pranks on her, would result in the extension of double chores through the end of the month.

* * *

The small theater was no more than a third full, and blessedly quiet after the day's activities. Rick and Kate settled into their seats with relief, not long before the overture began. The music was from a young composer, Bette Little, a graduate of Performing Arts High School and AMDA. Rick had heard Lily mention her several times as someone she admired. The music was lively and enthralling from the first number, but with poignancy during the inevitable conflicts imbedded in the story. The author of the book was young as well, Charlie Pickel. He had adapted the story from a novella he'd written as a teen. Castle made a mental note that if Charlie was interested in writing novels, he could be a welcome addition to the Castle Press stable.

Rick was the first to rise for a standing ovation, and he and Kate were both humming a recurring theme from the show as they walked hand in hand the few blocks to Interlude. That the restaurant was small, had been no exaggeration. There were only twelve tables, each with a unique musically themed centerpiece. Wine and beer were available, but no hard liquor. That was fine with Castle, who picked a _M_ _é_ _doc Rouge_ to pair with the _Chateaubriand_ Kate and Martha had both anticipated he'd choose. Tatiana had come prepared to stay the night, so they were able to linger, savoring both the meat and the wine. A rich cheesecake swirled with dark chocolate, and tiny cups of espresso were the perfect ending to the meal. After another long walk, a car service took them back to Fieldston.

All was quiet when they arrived home. Pending Tatiana's report in the morning, before she left for her own job, Castle assumed the twins had heeded his warning. You ready to turn in?" Kate asked.

"If you're asking if I'm ready to go to bed, yes," Castle replied. "If you're asking if I'm ready to sleep - not quite yet."

Kate stroked the darkening shadow on his cheek. "We must still be doing the shared mind thing."

Castle unzipped the silk sheath Kate wore and eased it slowly off her shoulders, nibbling at the soft flesh revealed underneath. She let it slide to the ground and stepped out of it, turning to loose the buttons on his tailored royal blue shirt. They shed the rest of their clothes slowly, leaving them on the floor to be retrieved in the morning. Kate pulled back the covers, sliding between the sheets in invitation.

Lying beside her, Rick buried his hands in the scented silk of her hair and pressed his lips to hers. The heat between them rose gently, as tongues still tinged with chocolate, coffee, and wine, met in a sinuous waltz. Kate's breasts rubbed against the warmth of Rick's chest, stiffening the brown tips. He shifted, to allow his mouth to give them attention, as the tips of her fingers stroked the bare skin of his back and thighs. As her arousal grew, she ground against him, feeling the firmness of his excitement growing as well.

He flipped her beneath him, supping on her tender skin, her gasping breath coming faster. "Rick!"

"I know," he answered, addressing her need first with his fingers, then with his mouth. She bucked, her body convulsing beyond control. She reached for him. More than ready, he was buried with one thrust. Moving his hands to cup the tight globes beneath her, he supported her as she arched to him. Her legs wrapped around his back, pulling him deeper, the bed protesting as they wrestled for completion. The explosion ripped through them, dropping them to Earth among the dampened and tangled sheets.

"Babe," Kate whispered when she regained enough breath to form the word. "Happy Birthday."

Rick drew her against his side, pillowing her head on his chest. "Can't wait 'til next year."

Kate snuggled into him. "No reason you should have to."


	168. Chapter 168

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 168

"It's a match!" Ryan shouted.

"So Maeve O'Leary really is Mavis Utbridge?" Jenny asked.

"There's no question," Kevin replied. "She's got a parental match to both Pieter and Miranda Utbridge."

"So what are you going to do, Kevin? She's an adult now. Her parents can't just go in and take her. You don't even know if she'd want to go. You don't know what's been happening to her all these years."

"Well I have to contact them anyway. They and the Van Pellens put out the award and their DNA through a law firm, Tonner and Gershwin. I'll call their office. I'll also need to call the feebies. Mavis may be an adult now, but she was kidnapped as a child. A two year old can't give consent to go anywhere. It's still an open case and if Dirk O'Leary is the kidnapper, they'll want to take him in. At the very least, they'd want to question him."

"If he's the one that took her, I wonder why?" Jenny mused.

"That may come out," Ryan responded, "but I need to get the ball rolling, now. Baby needs a lot more than new shoes."

* * *

"I don't want Jake and Reese to have anything to do with my birthday," Lily announced. "They already ruined my favorite pants. They're not ruining anything else."

"I can understand that, I really can," Castle commiserated. "Boys can be obnoxious. I know. I used to be one. But your birthday is on a Monday. It's a school day and they'll be here afterward. It you celebrate at school, they'll be there too. I can ask Lagi to put the kibosh on that, but if we celebrate the Sunday before, your brothers would still be around. What would you like to do?"

"Could Mama take me out with some of my girlfriends on Sunday and the boys stay here?" Lily asked hopefully. "We could get a cake and they could have some later. That's all they care about anyway."

Castle stroked his face. "I'll have to double check that Mama will be here and not have a meeting in Albany or something."

"I already called her and asked. She said she'd be home." Lily related.

"Uh huh," Castle acknowledged. "Okay, a girl's day out it is. Cory and I will keep the monsters in their pen."

Lily stretched up to kiss her father's cheek. "Thanks Daddy. I knew you'd understand."

Castle gazed after her as she went to her room. He understood alright. That didn't mean that he liked it. His little girl was growing away from him. He hadn't thought it would happen this soon. It hadn't with Alexis. When his mother had moved in, she'd begun to share feminine secrets with her, but Alexis had been fifteen. Lily was about to be twelve. She went to Jim Beckett for advice, but so had Kate. It ran in the family. But with this, a maw was opening in his midsection. It was beginning to seem that Lily might be much less likely to want to go on jaunts to cons, if the boys were along too. He sighed. That possible wash out was a while off. He still had to finish the Holy Snake Oil saga for Curtis and Strom and go through whatever PR was necessary for that. It would probably be a year before Castle Press was churning out Star Train books and whatever else it could snag. The tours were far from inception anywhere but his fertile imagination. Still the change in his dreamscape stung.

* * *

"Let me get this straight," Special Agent Trevor Brockney said, "After all these years, you've tracked down Mavis Utbridge and she's living in Polk City FL. working as a barmaid under the name of Maeve O'Leary?"

"No," Ryan corrected, "Not Polk City Florida, Polk City Iowa, right near Des Moines. Look it's confirmed. I have a positive DNA match. It's her. So what are you going to do about it?"

"Of course we'll investigate," Brockney responded. "But with a case like this, where someone's been gone this long, we have to move carefully."

"Tell that to her parents!" Ryan retorted. "They want her home."

"And you want the five million dollars," Rockney accused.

"I do, but that's not the point," Ryan insisted. "I'll be getting that just on the basis of locating her. I've done that. The DNA match has been verified. Maeve O'Leary is Mavis Utbridge. If her kidnapper still has a hold on her, it's your business to get her out of there safely and bring the dirt bag who took her to justice."

"Safely, is the operational word, Mr. Ryan," Brockney returned. "We don't rush in half cocked. Send me all the information you have, and we'll take it from there."

"I'll do that," Ryan assured him, gritting his teeth before ending the call. "The FBI hasn't changed much," Ryan fumed to himself. "If Castle had depended on them, Alexis would have been dead in Paris. Will Sorensen couldn't manage without Beckett and Castle either. They have all the fancy toys and they still can't find their asses with both hands and a flashlight." He hoped the FBI could at least finish what he'd started.

Despite what Ryan had told Brockney, the Utbridges would have to see their daughter before Tonner and Gershwin would issue an authorization to release the reward. That didn't mean Ryan shouldn't start making plans for it. He'd never handled anything bigger than his kids' college accounts and they were just stowed in a mutual fund. The only person he knew, who knew how to handle millions of dollars, was Castle - or at least Castle knew people who knew how to do it. What Ryan would be getting was still a fraction of what someone who'd been a best selling author for decades would have, even with big houses and a love of five star hotels. Still, he could trust Castle to point him at the right people.

"Five million dollars, well congratulations," Castle said as Ryan laid out his situation. "Are you going to keep working for RCI?"

"I don't know," Ryan answered. "That's part of what I need to figure out. By the time I get the trusts done for SG and Nicholas, and get a house, there probably won't be much left."

"Not to mention taxes," Castle added. "If you want a house or even a loft, you still won't be able to get anything decent in Manhattan for a family. You could do well in this neighborhood, or the other boroughs, or even Jersey. Or if you stay with RCI, you might want a place near the satellite office Alexis will be setting up in Brooklyn. From what I've seen, they're building some lovely homes there. I can put you in touch with my business manager, my tax attorney, and my real estate agent. And when you do go after a house, you should get Alan Masters in there. He can smell a flaw in construction a mile away. When are you supposed to be receiving the money?"

"The FBI will have to get off its ass and get Mavis out of Iowa first." Ryan admitted.

Castle shook his head. "Well good luck to them. Money or not, I hope she gets back to her parents safe and sound. I know how I felt when the missing girl was my daughter."

"I can't imagine how I'd feel if it were SG - or Nicholas. But you're right, Castle," Ryan agreed. "Getting Mavis back is much more important than the money."


	169. Chapter 169

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 169

Special Agent Brockney stealthily brought his strike team in to surround O'Leary's Bar. The last thing he wanted was gunfire. An agent in plain clothes had confirmed that Mavis Utbridge was inside, but so were at least twenty customers, as well as Dirk O'Leary and another server. The best thing to do would be to wait for the place to clear out. Dressed in black, they could lurk unseen in the darkness until last call passed. If Mavis exited by herself, all the better, they could charge in and grab Dirk. If not, they would have to go in and try their best to retrieve Mavis and capture Dirk without incident. There was no way of knowing if Dirk would be armed. Many bar owners kept guns as a matter of course, and with one who was also a kidnapper, it was anyone's guess. They would have to be prepared for anything.

After two A.M., the bar emptied slowly, until infra-red sensors detected only two people remaining inside. Brockney pegged the lesser source of heat as Mavis. Unfortunately, both glowing globs on his tablet approached the door of the bar at the same time. As Dirk stopped to lock up, Brockney grabbed Mavis himself, dragging her away while his team took down Dirk, who was unarmed.

Maeve couldn't stop screaming. In the dim lighting in front of the bar, she couldn't make out who'd grabbed her. Slowly, the words "We're FBI, don't be afraid," began to penetrate.

"What do you want?" she stuttered out.

"That Miss - O'Leary - is a long story," Brockney answered, "but we're going to get you home, your real home."

"I don't understand," Maeve protested. "What long story? What real home? I live with Uncle Dirk."

A woman agent, as a less intimidating presence, came to join Brockney. "You may live with Dirk O'Leary, but he's not your uncle. You have parents and you're going to meet them."

* * *

Ryan grabbed his phone from the bedside table as fast as he could. The ID simply said "FBI," but Ryan recognized Brockney's voice in his terse pronouncement. "We have her. She's safe."

Jenny rolled over with her eyes half open. "What is it Kevin?"

"The FBI has Mavis and she's okay."

Jenny sat up next to him. "When are they bringing her to her parents?"

Ryan shrugged. "I don't know. They'll probably have her checked out at a hospital and then they'll debrief her so they can use whatever she says, when they question Dirk O'Leary. It could be a day or more."

"If it were Sarah Grace, I'd go to her," Jenny declared.

"The Utbridges may do that. The Van Pellens too. I don't know, but I doubt the feebies will let anyone see her until they understand the situation. She may need - counseling."

"Kevin, I work at the FTC center," Jenny rebuked. "I know why she might need counseling. I just pray it didn't happen. When do you think we'll know?"

Ryan shook his head. "We may not know. We're not police and we're not family. Even if we were were, when it comes down to it, it's up to Mavis whether to tell her story or not."

"Of course," Jenny agreed. "I just hope..."

Kevin pulled his wife against him, tucking her head under his chin. "I know."

* * *

Castle had finished fulfilling all of his editor's requests for changes in the last Holy Snake Oil book. With relief, he opened his Star Train file. It was time to flesh out his characters, although to reach flesh on some of them, would require going through exoskeletons or scales. As much as he'd loved _Star Trek_ , he'd never agreed with creator Gene Roddenberry's insistence on using only humanoid aliens. He understood the budgetary and costuming restrictions, but in a vast universe it hardly seemed likely that sentient life would be so limited, or even that humans would be a preferred form. Babylon Five had cracked the door on more alien conformations, and the widespread use of CGI had thrown it wide open, even if the realism of the motion of the characters portrayed, often still left something to be desired.

At his keyboard, he had no such difficulties. He'd fallen in love with tardigrades when first presented by television's favorite astrophysicist. The creatures were almost microscopic, but strangely cuddly and tantamount to indestructible. It wasn't hard to imagine a society of larger ones. He'd studied enough science to know that with increased size came pesky considerations like surface to volume ratio, one of the reasons that larger versions of the more dominant lifeforms on earth would be impossible. But he was willing to do some research about how to make it all work. That would put the sci in sci fi and appeal to the purists, fans distinct from the sword and sorcery crowd. It would be more difficult than just making up whatever creatures he wanted to, but then he'd always tried to get his details right, even with Derrick Storm. He hadn't always succeeded, as sharp eyed readers pointed out, sometimes in angry uppercase letters. But he'd tried. If he could manage human sized tardigrades, they might appeal to the younger crowd as well. He could see incipient nerds hugging them in their beds. Now he was really getting ahead of himself, he didn't even have a book yet. Still, joining Pirri on the Star Train was more fun than he'd had with his writing in a long time, perhaps since he'd written love scenes for Nikki and Rook that were finally taken from real life.

Castle was startled when the alarm he'd set on his laptop alerted him that the arrival of the van from Latu's Trails was imminent. Lily had a spring in her step, but the boys were dragging, their eyes on the floor. "Are you going to tell me what happened or am I going to have to hear it from the school?" Castle prodded his sons.

Jake and Reese looked at each other. "I just wanted to paint a superhero mural, it would have been great!" Reese asserted.

"And I was lettering the sound effects," Jake added.

"I take it Lagi didn't welcome your artistic efforts," Castle said.

Reese shuffled his sneakers against the carpet. "He said the building was university property and we couldn't do anything to the walls. Then he made us scrub it all off."

"Lagi was right, you can't paint on walls that don't belong to you, no matter how cool what you're painting is. But scrubbing off all that paint must have been hard," Castle sympathized.

"It was," Jake put in quickly. "We're really tired. We can't do double chores."

"Probably too tired to eat your snacks too," Castle assumed. "You know what I do when I'm really tired?" Castle continued, not allowing time for the boys to think of an answer. "I take a nap. If the two of you just go sleep for an hour or two, you won't be so tired."

"I think I feel better," Jake insisted hurriedly, "I'm just hungry."

"Me too," Reese agreed. "I really need a snack."

"Nice to know you recover so quickly," Castle observed. "Snacks are on the counter. You can nourish your very creative bodies, then chores will commence."

* * *

A Skype from Kate chimed while Lily and the boys were doing their homework. "How was your day in the legislative den of iniquity?" Castle inquired.

"Not bad," Kate responded. "I think I'm really beginning to get some traction on the lead remediation thing. There's a good chance we'll have a bill within the next few weeks. How are the home fires burning?"

Castle related the twins' latest escapade. "You know," he mused, "I can't help but admire their industry."

"And how many buildings did you deface in your younger years?" Kate asked.

"Only one," Castle replied. "After that, Mother had her stage manager put me on painting scenery. That was too much like work. I moved onto more intricately plotted endeavors."

Kate sighed. "Terrific. So what do you think your sons will try next?"

"I don't know," Castle replied, "but I'm pretty sure I can wait."


	170. Chapter 170

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 170

Lily woke up on Sunday morning ready to go. Mama was home and she'd be taking Lily, Emily, Lucy, and McKenzie, out together. They'd be visiting some of the boutiques on Broadway, where Lily hoped she could at least find a new favorite pair of pants. She wanted a pair of sandals too, the strappy kind Mama liked to wear, but without quite as high a heel. Then they'd have lunch and see a movie, and Lily wouldn't have to worry about Reese and Jake talking about gross new superheroes or groaning during kissing scenes. She couldn't wait.

Mama would be making Sunday breakfast so Daddy could sleep in a little. She wasn't as creative as Daddy when it came to cooking. She never made chocolate mousse chimichangas, s'morelets, or pancakes with smiley faces, but her eggs were fluffy and buttery, her bacon was crisp, and she usually served fresh strawberries that Lily could top with Daddy's whipped cream. Lily would have to put up with her brothers at the table. Then she could get some practice in before she and Mama picked up her friends. After that, she'd have all day for her birthday outing.

Reese and Jake had foregone strawberries in favor of bananas, which they mashed and mixed with their cereal to form edible structures. They made monster noises as they ate them. Kate asked them to keep their voices down, but the roars didn't quiet completely. Castle came into the breakfast room, wearing a robe and slippers, and rubbing his eyes. Kate wordlessly handed him a cup of coffee. "Will you girls be gone all day?" he asked.

"Most of it," Kate replied. "We'll be back for supper. We can pick something up to bring home if you want."

"That's okay," Castle assured her. "The banana monsters and I will be fine. You just have a good time."

* * *

Lucy was late getting ready and Kate had to wait for her. By the time she had driven to the Broadway shopping area Lily had requested, the public parking garage was almost full. She decided to forget about searching for a spot and just go for valet parking. The store with the faux grown-up preteen styles Lily liked was already full of shoppers and Kate was beginning to wish she had Cory along to help herd her gaggle of girls. Lily tried on twelve different pairs of pants for the approval of her friends. Kate ended up buying two of them. Emily had come with money of her own and bought one of the other pairs for herself.

The shoe store was several blocks away and there was no way Kate would move the car for such a short distance, so the group walked, stopping for hot pretzels along the way and touching off the minor emergency of a smear of mustard on McKenzie's top. Kate solved the problem with the stain remover stick she kept in her purse and she and the girls all made it to Shameless Shoes. Lily puzzled over the sandal selection. Most of them looked too floppy for when she worked the pedals on her piano. Kate suggested that even if they were flat, gladiator sandals were a great look and would stay on no matter what Lily did. They found a pair in gold, shiny enough to compensate for the lack of a high heel, and Lily was content with her choice.

Kate had made reservations at The Chartreuse, which had valet parking of its own. She and the girls were shown to their table by a _maitre d_ ', sporting a tuxedo. The menu wasn't vegan, but it was heavy on salads with exotic greenery, and frothy drinks crafted of tropical fruits. Kate would have preferred a burger and a shake, and she suspected her daughter might have loved a shake too, but the fussy restaurant fit the bill of a place the twins would hate, so Lily was happy. All the girls enjoyed the chocolate syrup topped ice cream filled puff pastries billed as _profiteroles au chocolat_.

Kate was amazed that after the dessert they'd had, the girls still wanted popcorn for the movie, but she obliged. _Call to Love_ would definitely have made Jake and Reese cover their eyes and make gagging sounds. The sweet story featured teens separated when one of the families moved from the United States to Australia. They faithfully kept in touch by phone and Skype until they'd both graduated from University and found jobs with the same multinational corporation, which finally reunited them in Paris, where they were married. Kate mused to herself that their courtship hadn't been as long as the one she'd had with Castle, and certainly less dangerous, but she still found her eyes damp at the end.

The girls decided they'd found their new heartthrob in the young male lead, Colson Jennings. His eyes were deep and sad, his dark hair long and shaggy, and his body tall and lean. Kate imagined that when she was twelve, she might have had a crush on him herself, if she hadn't been obsessed with a rock singer. He was the subject of dreamy discussion as she dropped Lily's guests back at their homes. Lily said she'd look for pictures of Colson to download as soon as they returned to the Castle castle.

Lily put the code in the front door and was dashing to put her purchases away and get to her computer, before Kate was barely across the threshold. "Looks like the soon-to-be birthday girl had an exciting day," Castle noted. "How's Mama doing?"

"Tired, and hungry for red meat," Kate confessed.

"I thought you might be," Castle replied. "Even without the annoyance of brothers, Alexis went through the girlish lunch stage when she was about Lily's age. She didn't stop lecturing me about eating organic until Mother moved in to take over the criticism of my dining habits. I have burgers for the boys and Lily, if she wants one, but I have rib eyes for us, as bloody as you like."

Kate wrapped her arms around his neck. "I do like my meat moist and hot."

Castle pulled her against him "We'll get to that, later."

* * *

Ryan checked his messages before leaving for RCI on Monday morning. Eagerly, he swiped on one from Tonner and Grisham and went to find Jenny, who was getting ready for her own work day. "What's going on, Kevin?"

Excitement flashed in the Irish blue of his eyes. "This is from the Van Pellen's lawyers. They want me to come in to discuss the reward for finding Mavis."

"So Mavis is back with her parents?" Jenny asked.

"I don't know. I haven't heard anything or seen a peep on the news or the internet, but I imagine the family is keeping things under wraps, at least until Mavis gets adjusted to leaving her life in Iowa. Maybe the lawyers can tell me whatever the family doesn't want to keep confidential, at least if she's doing okay. But Jenny, this is it. This is what I worked for, the life I want for you and SG and Nicholas. I'm going to text Alexis and tell her I have some business to take care of and I'll be in later."

"Call me when you find out anything about Mavis or the money," Jenny urged.

"I will," Ryan promised.

Ryan was shown into the plush office of Clark Grisham, junior partner. "Mr. Ryan, the Utbridges and Van Pellens owe you more than they can ever express."

"Thank you Mr. Grisham," Ryan replied. "How's Mavis doing?"

"I can only tell you that she is safe and healthy. The family will be issuing a public statement when they are ready. But I asked you to come in this morning to discuss the details of your annuity."

"What annuity?" Ryan asked.

"That is the structure of your reward, Mr. Ryan. The value has grown from a million to five million, but it has always been an annuity, much like a lottery pay out. You or your beneficiary, if you should become deceased, will receive two hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year for the next twenty years, in monthly installments of a little under twenty-one thousand a month. That is a very nice income, Mr. Ryan. Of course there is paperwork you'll have to fill out for tax purposes, and you'll have to specify where you want the money deposited."

"So there's no way I could get the whole five million now?" Ryan queried.

"Not from the Van Pellens, Mr. Ryan. Things just aren't set up that way. There are companies that buy out annuities, but the amount you'd be getting as a lump sum payment would be considerably less. You may certainly talk to your own financial expert about that, but I wouldn't advise doing it, for tax reasons alone, if nothing else. It's a good income, Mr. Ryan. You and your family will have security for the next twenty years."

Ryan's chest deflated. He knew that Grisham was right. He would still be providing well for his family, but he couldn't help mourning the shrinkage of his dreams.


	171. Chapter 171

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 171

"Kevin, it's going to be fine," Jenny insisted. "That's still a lot of money. We can still get a house and send the kids to college. Two hundred and fifty thousand extra dollars a year will be great."

"That's before taxes," Ryan pointed out. "Jenny I know it's still a lot of money, it's just not what I pictured, that's all."

"Kevin Ryan, you know I'd love you if you didn't have a dime to your name, right? And so would the kids," Jenny reminded him. "You've always done your best for us and I know you always will."

Kevin put his arms around his wife. "And I love you too. I just have to think about this some more. Maybe there's something else I can do."

Jenny snuggled into his chest. "You don't have to do anything but what you're doing, what you've always done, be my husband and Sarah Grace's and Nicholas' father. We don't need anymore than that."

* * *

Dirk O'Leary twisted and untwisted his hands as he waited for his lawyer. Moira Kirk was supposed to be good. The FBI didn't like her, which to Dirk was a plus. He looked up as she entered the room. She was short, no more than five two, less without her heels. Her hair had the dark shine of the black Irish and was pulled tightly back. Her eyes were a blue that looked as if it could cut through steel. She nodded slightly as she took a seat opposite him at the table. "Mr. O'Leary, I need you to understand that if I am going to be your attorney, you need to tell me everything, and I mean everything. I can never ask a witness a question to which I don't know the answer. I've looked at your arrest report. As far as I can tell you're you're no monster. You never abused Mavis, sexually, or otherwise. You seem to have done a decent job of raising her. So I need to understand your story. Why would you kidnap a little girl and keep her all this time? You must have had a reason. Whatever it was, I will try to use it to help you."

Dirk put his face in his hands and drew a breath. The words rasped from his throat and his eyes filled with tears as memories overwhelmed him, but he told Moira about Megan and the baby. Moira listened silently, taking notes as he spoke. She reached for his hand when he finished. "I understand, and I think a jury will too. I'm going to work something out for you, Dirk. You just hold on."

As soon as she was clear of the prison, Moira pulled out her phone to call her partner. "Listen, Harris, this may be the best diminished capacity case we've ever had. I'll give you the details when I get there, but O'Leary's story would make the chick flick movie of the year. If the D.A. won't give us a plea, we can put at least half the jury in tears, and the press will lap it up. So tell Manny we have some serious work to do."

* * *

Castle had an appointment at the Museum of Natural History. It had always been one of his favorite places, even if there was a possibility he'd been cursed by a mummy there. Other than when investigating a murder, he'd always been there with his kids, first Alexis, then Jake, Reese, and Lily. It hadn't really appealed to Lily, but had fired Reese's imagination and produced several weeks of intense dinosaur drawing. Now Rick had something else in mind. He wanted to make his tardies, as he was tentatively calling his large economy size tardigrades, feasible, and he needed someone who could make the science a little less daunting. Sara El-Masri was the perfect person to consult. Once she'd recovered from the trauma of her kidnapping, she and Alexis had remained friends, although following entirely different paths. While Alexis discovered her love of forensics and detective work, Sara had continued to pursue ecology and biology, going on to receive her masters and PhD., before securing a position at the museum, exploring the development of new species. If anyone could aim him in the right direction, it would be Sara. He met her in her small office and laid out his problem.

"I don't think what you have in mind is going to work, Mr. Castle," Sara confessed apologetically. "Larger animals need higher metabolic rates, interior transport systems, and structural changes to increase area. The advantages that give the tardigrades their near immortality would disappear. It might be easier to create your alien species from scratch."

"I was afraid of that," Castle confided. "Well hardly the first time I've had to throw out an idea. So this won't be a total waste of your time, can I take you to lunch?"

"Why not?" Sara smiled. "I wanted to talk to you about something else anyway."

"So," Castle inquired, after he and Sara had ordered and the server had brought iced teas, "what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Mr Castle, I've written several books in my field. Publishing is a requirement of my job and the museum has its own press, but there's an outside project I've been wanting to work on for a long time. It has to do with when I was kidnapped with your daughter."

"You want to write a kidnapping story?" Castle asked.

Sara stirred her iced tea as she shook her head. "No. It took me a long time and some therapy to get past what happened, to be able to go to school, to do my work, without jumping at every sound and cowering whenever anyone came too close."

"PTSD," Castle surmised.

"Yes," Sarah confirmed. "The public thinks about it as something that happens to soldiers who've been in combat, but I came to understand that it can result from many traumatic experiences, and often goes unrecognized in children. I'd like to write a book to help younger people to understand their fear, and that's it's all right to ask for help. I've already made an outline and written some of it. I'll need a publisher, someone to help me through the process and get the book where it's needed. I was hoping you could steer me in the right direction."

"Doctor El-Masri," Castle began.

"Sara," she corrected.

"Sara," he repeated, "and you can make it Rick if that's not too weird for Alexis' old man. Castle Press would be glad to take you on, if you'll have us. Besides myself, you'll be our first author. I believe we may be able to help each other. You can avail yourself of my vast experience and that of my staff, and you can help make sure I don't draw the wrath of exo-biology nerds. I'd tell you to ask Alexis for a reference but I'm not sure she'd be entirely complimentary."

"I'm sure she would Mr. - Rick. While we were in Paris, there was one thing that she was always sure about, that you'd find a way to get her home, just as I was sure my father would pay anything to get me back. We were both right. So yes, I would be happy to collaborate with Castle Press."

"I'm glad that's settled," Castle declared. "Now tell me, if I can't do a giant tardigrade, what kind of a cute, cuddly, immortal alien would you suggest?"

Sarah laughed "Can I get back to you after the salad?"

The corners of Castle's eyes crinkled. "The salads here are small. You can get back to me after dessert."


	172. Chapter 172

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 172

"Ryan got himself into something big," Kate noted as she and Castle caught the news on the big screen in the living room. "Dirk O'Leary's story is everywhere. It's a good thing for the prosecutor, that they cut O'Leary a deal. If they'd put him in front of a jury, half of them would have wanted to hug him instead of convict him."

"It is a good story," Castle agreed. "I wouldn't have minded writing it myself if it hadn't been snagged already."

"There isn't much about how Ryan tracked Mavis down," Kate observed.

"That's true," Castle agreed. "He hasn't exactly been doing the interview route. He's been putting his head together with my finance guy to see about making the best of the deal the Van Pellen's stuck him with. He's been working with our real estate agent too. The housing market started to take off again after Lindsey Teal was elected and he doesn't want to wait too long."

"Is he still working for RCI?" Kate asked.

"Alexis said he cut back his hours a little, to have more time with Jenny and the kids, but he is. He and Javi have been working together for so long, I don't think they want to break up."

Kate snuggled closer to Castle on the couch. "Can't blame them for that. Who would want to break up a perfect partnership?"

* * *

"Who was on the phone?" Jenny asked.

"Real Detection Magazine," Ryan relayed. "They want to put me with one of their writers to tell how I tracked down Mavis Utbridge."

"Are you going to do it?" Jenny asked.

"I told them I'd rather write it myself. I've always done really well with my blog. I have faithful followers. Not like Castle, but I have some that have stuck with me since I started putting it out when I was at the Twelfth. Even if I can't give out confidential details, I still tell a good story."

"So are you going to put the Utbridge story on your blog?"

"No. If Real Detection wants it, I figure someone else might too, maybe even go for stories of other things I worked on, like taking down the Irish Mob on Staten Island. I don't have to maintain a cover anymore. I could write all about it. Castle is getting into the whole publishing thing. Maybe I can work with him."

"If there's anyone who knows how to write a detective story, it's Rick," Jenny agreed. "But you can talk to him later. Right now we have that appointment to look at houses in Brooklyn. I've seen the pictures online, and a couple of them look really beautiful."

Ryan tucked his phone into his pocket. "Great. Let's go."

* * *

Jake Pullman looked over at his partner in the passenger seat. "Why are you so nervous? You haven't stopped fiddling with stuff the entire time we've been watching this building."

"I'm going to ask Eva, tonight." Reese confided.

"Ask her what, to move in with you?" Jake wondered. "You've been thinking about that for a while."

Reese reached into his pocket to pull out a tiny velvet covered box. "No man. That's not enough, not with Eva. I don't want a live-in girlfriend. I'm going to ask her to marry me."

"Are you sure about this?" Jake asked. "I mean I know she's come a long way, you both have, but that's a huge step. You've done what you wanted, when you wanted, ever since we got out of the service. Do you really want to tie yourself down like that?"

"It's not a matter of being tied down. I never had anything to keep me anywhere before. It didn't matter much who I was with, except for you, or where I went. But Eva, Eva is home. If I can be with her, we could be in a cave like the one on the Pakistani border. I wouldn't care."

Jake scrubbed a hand over his face. "Oh brother! You could put that in a script for a Hallmark movie. I guess if that's what you want, I'm behind you all the way. Good luck."

* * *

Jenny was in love. Had the kids been younger, she would have liked a house with a big yard, but the small garden surrounded by a stone wall, reminded her of something out of a children's book. The patch of grass bordered by rose bushes and spring flowers had an air of fantasy, completed by a stone bench and fanciful stone sculptures. The inside of the older but refurbished home was beautiful too. The kitchen wasn't huge, but it had enough counter space to work on, and the appliances had been updated. The master bedroom was large enough to accommodate the solid cherry furniture her parents had given to her and Kevin as a wedding present, with an attached bath complete with a huge old fashioned ball and claw tub. There was even enough closet space. There were two other bedrooms, and two other bathrooms, plus a den where Kevin could do his research and writing and watch games with Javi and Nicholas. The living room was airy and a formal dining room connected it to the kitchen. The hardwood floors were old but had been freshly refinished, and she could imagine area rugs where she wanted something softer under her feet.

There was no way they could buy the house outright, the way Kevin had planned before he knew about the annuity, but they had more than enough income to qualify for a mortgage and still be able to send the kids to good colleges, especially since she and Kevin still intended to keep working. When she'd agreed to marry a cop, she'd never expected to be rich, or even to escape a tight budget. A house like this was more than she'd ever dreamed. She hoped it would be enough of a dream for Kevin too. She searched her husband's face. He smiled and squeezed her hand.

* * *

As he held Eva's chair for her, Reese decided that Interlude was everything Rick had told him it would be. His table was in the farthest corner from the door of the small restaurant, in an alcove that provided a feeling of intimacy. He knew the food would be far from cheap, but it wasn't a night to worry about money. He hadn't worried about it with the ring either. For years he'd been stowing money in his accounts for - he never knew for what. He'd just always thought there would be a reason some day, maybe some kind of catastrophe. He seen enough of them. But this was no catastrophe, at least he hoped it wouldn't be. This was what he had been waiting for his entire life, even if he'd never realized it, and he didn't want to blow it.

He took his seat across from Eva. Her face glowed in the light of the candle shaped like a treble clef. "You look happy tonight."

"I am. I decided on a major and picked out my summer class."

"What are you going for?"

Eva leaned across the table, flecks of candlelight flashing in her eyes. "English. I want to learn more about the kind of work I'm doing for RCI and Mr. Castle, maybe to become an editor instead of just a proofreader. I think I'd be really good at it. So does Alexis."

"Sounds like a great step toward the future," Reese remarked. "Look Eva, I was going to wait until after dinner to ask you this, but you're not the only one thinking about the future."

"Reese what...?"

Reese pushed back his chair, pulling the ring out of the pocket of his suit jacket. Eyes at the other tables in the restaurant turned to him as he knelt on one knee. "Eva, I want my future, all of my future, to be with you. Will you marry me?"

Eva could think of no word but, "Yes." She blushed as the other patrons of Interlude broke into applause.

A/N Yes Guest, Lanie and Alan are married. Alan will check Ryan's house for him.


	173. Chapter 173

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 173

Kate suspected that Cap's wife would have killed him had things gone any other way, but there was a long weekend for Mother's Day. She flew out of Albany late Thursday afternoon and would not have to be in session again until Tuesday morning. She might talk to a constituent or two while she was in the city, but she hoped to spend the majority of time with Castle and the kids, especially Castle. He'd been busy revving up Castle Press. Not only did he have Sara El-Masri and Ryan on board as authors, he had also managed to convince Charlie Pickel of Merciful Heaven's fame to sign on. But for this weekend, they'd both agreed to take a break.

Friday morning began with a crash. The twins had staged an heroic battle on the breakfast table and somehow even the tough earthenware cereal bowls had managed to shatter against the floor. Lily had skillfully avoided getting splashed, but Castle's aged but beloved Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 socks needed an instant trip to the washing machine. By the time the kids were in the Latu's Trails van, the morning seemed several hours old.

Castle started another pot of coffee, frazzled parent strength. "Maybe we ought to start serving the twins in plastic bowls again," Kate suggested. "We'd still have a mess, but at least there wouldn't be any shards."

"Not with the latest information about migration of new cross-linkers," Castle protested. "Sara El-Masri's got me reading a couple of scientific journals to help me with ideas for Star Train. There's some scary stuff in there."

"Was there anything about anyone actually getting sick?" Kate asked.

"No," Castle admitted. "but better to be safe than sorry. Anyway, I'd been thinking about replacing those bowls with the Wonderman editions. Who would have thought a cameo character would catch on like that?"

"Obviously you did, since you've been collecting Wonderman junk since Guardians of the Galaxy Two came out."

Kate giggled as Castle stuck out his lower lip. "It is not junk! Every one of those precious items has appreciated, especially the action figures. Anyway, I really like the actor who plays him. I think he's very talented."

"He is ruggedly handsome," Kate admitted. "He looks a little like you."

"I'll take that as a compliment. So what would you like to do with your ruggedly handsome husband in our free hours together before our precious offspring return?"

"How about a nap?" Kate proposed.

"Naps are good." Castle replied. "Naps are very good."

* * *

"How's the wedding planning going?" Jake Pullman asked Reese, as they waited for the latest celebrity they were protecting to emerge from a meeting.

"Eva's mother is handling a lot of it; invitations, flowers, helping Eva find a dress, that kind of thing. There isn't that much left. Eva doesn't want anything big, just family and a few friends. She doesn't like hordes of people. Alexis is going to let us use the deck of her new house. It looks out on the river. There's a minister who works with Eva's brother. He'll be performing the ceremony. You looking forward to planning my bachelor party? I don't want any, but were you hoping to hook up with a stripper?"

Jake swallowed. "Not as much as I was. I, um, met someone."

"'Mr. No Complications, No Entanglements?' How did this happen?"

"I was at my mixed martial arts club and she came in. I'd never seen her there before and she asked if we could spar. I thought I'd go easy on her, you know?" Reese nodded. "Anyway," Jake continued, "next thing I knew I was flat on my back with her foot on my neck. I was looking up at her and I've never seen anyone so beautiful She has this long black hair, almond eyes, but they're green, and that body! She could be on the cover of the swimsuit issue."

Reese grinned. "So you fell for her - literally."

"It was like being struck by lightning. What do they call that, the thunderbolt? I thought that was just something they made up for movies, but yeah, I did. Her name is Mai. I can't wait to get done with this gig so I can see her again."

"Better keep your mind on protecting our client until then," Reese urged. "There are paparazzi out front and fans, and he did get those death threats. The scar on my leg reminds me just how many crazies there are out there."

"You're right," Jake agreed. "I have to keep my mind on the job."

* * *

"Mm," Castle sighed, caressing Kate's bare back as she snuggled into his chest. "Definitely one of our better naps."

"We still have a few hours," Kate pointed out, just as her stomach rumbled.

"Ah, a request from slightly higher inner reaches," Castle observed. "We could whip something up here, or there's plenty of time to go out. A new place had a grand opening while you were in Albany. It's called Marco Polo. The food is supposed to be a fusion of Chinese and Italian, all pasta and noodle dishes."

"Lines bracketed the bridge of Kate's nose. "Not exactly what I had in mind. I'd keep expecting to be served in a swimming pool."

"Point taken." Castle agreed. "How about a picnic? The grass in the backyard, outside of Cory's run, dried out from the last rain. The bees aren't buzzing around yet. Sandwiches, fruit, a nice bottle of wine, cookies from the secret stash?"

Kate ran her fingertips over the sprinkling of graying hair between his pecs. "Sounds terrific. The only problem is we'll have to get out of this bed."

"True," Castle agreed, "but if we eat fast, we may have time for another nap."

* * *

Alexis carefully eased herself into her chair. It would still be over a month until Elizabeth arrived, and she'd rarely felt more like a mother, even without Sunday's upcoming celebration. As her belly had expanded, so had the barrage of questions from Bernard. He was looking forward to a baby sister, but wondering how things would go for him. He wanted to know if he'd have to share his toys and whether Mom and Dad would still have time to read to him at night when the baby came. He also asked an uncomfortable number of questions about how Elizabeth would get out of Alexis. She and Sergei had both tried to be as truthful as they could without being too explicit, but Bernard took after both of them, he loved details. It would be a lot easier to explain things, once Elizabeth arrived. The timing for that could get a little tight. Reese and Eva's wedding was planned for the first weekend in June, and she was getting huger by the moment. Sergei had gotten paranoid again about seeing her lift or do much of anything, so she wouldn't be much help in setting up the ceremony. Not that she had to be. As far as she could tell, Mary Tibault was all over it. Eva could use the master bedroom and bath for dressing. Reese would be relegated to Sergei's den, and with Jake as Reese's best man, if there was any heavy lifting to be done, there would be more than enough muscle around to do it. Still, it was nice to know she'd have Mother's Day for some down time and pampering of her own, before she had to worry about anyone else's special occasion. It would be her last chance for quite a while.


	174. Chapter 174

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 174

Lily opened the lock on her secret hiding place and pulled out the bound journal, covered in musical notes. While she would have loved to whack Jake with his own drumsticks and tell Reese that his latest superhero was stupid, Daddy and Mama would not be happy with her, and the boys would just find something to do to get back at her. She'd learned from Grandpa and from Daddy, that writing things out helped. Reese and Jake were with Daddy, walking Cory, and Mama was making her special meat sauce. She could curl up on her bed and put the words on her private pages.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I can't wait for summer to come. I'm really tired. There won't be any pre-college program at Juilliard and I'll have my Saturdays back. And Mama will be home. I love the music and some of my classes, but I'm not sure I belong at Juilliard. Bette Little didn't go there, and she is terrific. They also don't allow outside teachers and I miss Mr. Friedman. I still have Kirk at Lagi's Trails, and he can help me during the summer, but most of what he does is for the little kids. In a year, I can apply to go to Performing Arts like Bette Little did. I could apply for Music and Art too. Then maybe I could make it into AMDA, like she did, or go back to Juilliard, or maybe go away for college._

 _I love Jake and Reese, but they are driving me crazy. Grandpa says that's what brothers do, and Grandma says Daddy was a lot like that, and he is wonderful now, but I wish I could be away from them for a while. Daddy's been talking about taking them to some cons this summer and giving me some time with Mama. We can do girl stuff. I want her to teach me about makeup and stuff. Daddy thinks I'm too young, but he is very nervous about me doing anything that might make a boy like me. Alexis told me he was the same way with her, but he sort of got over it. Mama says a little lipstick on special occasions wouldn't hurt, and maybe a little blush. Then when I get older she'll show me how to do my eyes._

 _Alexis has gotten so big. I heard Mama was even bigger with Jake and Reese, I don't really remember. Alexis' baby is going to be a girl and her name will be Elizabeth, after Elizabeth Ware, our first woman president. I think that's sepshal. It will be great to have another girl in the family. Elizabeth is supposed to be born around the end of June. I think Mama will be home then. I hope we can visit Alexis and the baby together._

 _Before that, Big Reese is supposed to be getting married to someone named Eva, at Alexis' house, on the deck where we had a barbecue. Jake and Reese and I won't be going. It's just for grown-ups. Mama and Daddy will be there. Mama said she'd take pictures of Eva's dress for me._

 _I wonder if I'll get married some day. Daddy's been married three times. I heard a story that Mama had a husband before Daddy but didn't know it. Mama is so smart, I don't know how that could happen. Grandpa is Grandma's third husband too. I don't want to do that. If I get married, I want to get it right the first time, like Sergei's parents. Someone who looks like Colson Jennings would be nice, but I don't know how much I care about that. Mama said that Daddy looked like the picture on the back of some of his old books, when she met him. She thought he was very handsome, but that wasn't why she married him. She dated lots of good looking men, but none of them were there for her like Daddy is, and none of them were as funny or as loving. I want someone like Daddy, maybe not as silly, but he also needs to love music the way I do. I couldn't marry someone who didn't, even if he did look like Colson._

 _Have to go now. I can write more tonight._

 _I'm back. We had Mama's linguine and I was working on my music. I'm almost finished writing my Latin American songs. When I started, I thought I might put them into a symphony, or at least a concerto, but Ms. Landivar, the Bolivian teacher at Juilliard, said she thought they'd work better as a suite, with a story. Daddy helped me do some research and I found a story that would fit. I had to change a couple of pieces, but I think it works and so does Ms Landivar. It will be a great project for our special studies at school. Lagi already knows about it and he thinks we might even do a school production. I'd have to do the music on a synthesizer. Kirk's music group isn't big enough to sound like an orchestra, but I think the older kids could put it on, especially with some of the student teachers from the University helping. Grandma said the workshops at her school might be able to put it on, too. There have been a lot of earthquakes in South America and she says we could raise money for the people who've been hurt. It would really be sepshal to do that. I really like to help people, even my brothers when they need it._

 _Lately, Cory has been spending more time with me. He likes the Latin music and he likes it when I pet him. I do that a lot when I'm sad, or when I can't stand what Jake and Reese are doing anymore. It makes me feel better. Jake and Reese get jealous. They want Cory to play with them, and he does, but he likes being with me better. Daddy says I'm old enough to walk Cory by myself now. I don't like picking up poop, but it isn't bad with Daddy's special scooper. I can keep Cory safe and I know he can keep me safe and when we walk, I can hear all kinds of music playing in my head. Walking Cory also gets me away from Jake and Reese. I'm really glad Daddy got Cory, even if he does have to poop a lot. When I grow up, I want to get my own dog. And I want to rescue it, like Daddy did for Cory._

 _Sunday is Mother's Day. I'm going to make breakfast for Mama. Daddy usually does it, but I told him this year I wanted to, and he promised to keep Jake and Reese out of the way. I'm going to make her French toast with strawberries and whipped cream. Daddy showed me how to make the batter she likes, with vanilla in it, and he let me practice getting the pieces to look right. I wrote a Mother's Day song, too. Reese and Jake have been working on a comic book for Mama. Reese drew someone that looks like Mama if you squint real hard. She flies a plane and drops law bombs on bad guys. It's silly, but they think it's great and Daddy says Mama will like it._

 _I have to stop writing now. Tomorrow is Saturday so I have classes at Juilliard all day. If I'm tired, I mess up when I'm playing and I hate that. I feel like everyone is looking at me. The notes don't come into my head right when I'm tired either. That's worse. I have to go to sleep._

 _Good night,_

 _Lily Castle_

A/N Dear Guest, from what I've seen from James Gunn's tweets to the media, Nathan was cut from the movie. Of course, that wouldn't have stopped Castle. There were poster photos leaked plus Nathan's own photo from clowning around on the set. Castle would have seen those.


	175. Chapter 175

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 175

Kate stretched beneath the light blanket and sheet, as Castle stirred beside her. "Did you enjoy your Mother's Day?" he asked.

"Mmm, and my mother's night." Kate pulled herself up against the backboard and threw her feet over the side of the bed.

"What's on your agenda for today - after we get the kids out?" Castle inquired.

"I'm going to visit Luisa Rodriguez this morning. A couple of her kids who aren't old enough for school yet, will be there. I'm going to take pictures of them, and of the paint coming off the walls, and use the photos for the final push for the Get the Lead Out bill. Cap has scheduled the vote for when we get back this week."

"If I may ask an awkward question, where is the children's father?" Castle queried.

"It's not awkward, Castle. He's dead. He was self employed, doing general construction work, handyman stuff. Luisa told me the story. He was doing an emergency roof repair during the lull in a storm. The wind kicked up again and blew down a cable. It hit him. He lost his balance and fell. He broke his neck when he hit. Luisa was told he died almost instantly. They were living pretty much hand to mouth. There was no pension, no insurance. She was left with nothing."

"How is she getting by now?" Castle wondered.

"She has her job at the hotel and she's on swing shift. She trades childcare with one of her neighbors who's on early days and has a baby," Kate explained. "And she lives in a peeling paint hellhole. I hope I can at least take care of that."

"Wow, I lived in some Ritzes for roaches when I was growing up, but nothing that bad," Castle recalled. "Badass that you still are, I don't like the idea of you going there alone. Want some company?"

"If you want to go, Babe. I really don't think I'll need protection, but you have a better eye for photography than I do. You can help take pictures."

It wasn't Castle's eye that came in handy, it was his talent for charming babies and toddlers. While he kept the younger set busy, Luisa pointed out the worst of the paint disintegration, for Kate to photograph. By the time Kate and Rick departed the Rodriguez apartment, he had unidentified stains on the shoulder of his shirt and on his pants, and Kate had more than enough evidence to present to her colleagues. Having thought it better not to bring a car to that neighborhood, they walked to the subway together.

"How would the remediation of a place like Luisa's work?' Castle asked, as they settled in side by side on the train.

"The bill has emergency funding for people like Luisa to move to someplace safer. If we get it passed, I'm going to use FTC to push for her to get one of those grants. FTC can address the childcare issue too, if she can't trade with her neighbor anymore. Then when the buildings are fixed, new tenants can move in safely."

"So you're already setting up for your summer legal work with FTC?" Castle wondered.

"I'll be getting my feet wet again, preparing for next summer when my senate term ends. I still want time with you and the kids, especially Lily, since you'll be doing some expeditions with the boys, but I think I can get some good things done."

"I know you can," Castle replied. "You always have."

* * *

Reese Perkins and Jake Pullman strode on either side of Colson Jennings as he made his way through Rockefeller Center. He'd be hosting _Live from New York_ that week and the news was out. Thankfully, at that time of day, most of his younger fans were in school, but a stream of women and a few men seemed to materialize out of the walls as he traversed the hallways. Jake didn't detect any particular threat, but even keeping fans from grabbing Colson's hair and clothes could be a challenge. It would be a rough week. The upside was that once Colson was tucked in for the night at the Barclay, whenever that happened, he and Reese would be able to switch off. That meant he'd have a good chance to spend some time with Mai. She worked pretty late into the evening herself. The martial arts studio she ran filled up as the work day ended and the women of New York polished their skills and vented their frustrations in a socially acceptable venue. Mai was a good teacher. She'd taught him a few things his military training had never covered.

Martial arts wasn't the only thing at which Mai excelled. She could control just about every muscle in her well toned but flexible body. She was also very creative about how she used them. He was upping his game to keep up with her, and the more they were together, the more he craved. She was also funny, cracking jokes even in the heat of the most intimately energetic moment. He was sure there was no one else like her in the world. How could there be two women that incredible?

When Reese had decided to get married, Jake hadn't thought much of the idea, but that was before Mai. He understood now. He was beginning to find it impossible to picture his life without Mai in it. The meaningless one night fun fests he'd favored, no longer made sense. He just had no idea how Mai would feel about a permanent commitment. She was the most independent woman he had ever met, and seemed to enjoy being that way. The situation was still so new, he had yet to figure out his next step. He just knew he would have to make one.

From the schedule he and Reese had been given, Colson would be spending most of the day in the writers' room. Jake didn't expect there would be much danger there, except from a bad skit. Anything was possible, but failing terrorist attack or alien invasion, he'd have some time to think and to talk to Reese. If there was anyone who understood being consumed by a woman, it was his best friend.

* * *

"What are you looking at?" Jim asked.

Martha continued staring at the sheaf of paper she held. "It's a proposal for a Broadway cruise. You know, one of those meet the stars things, like they do with soaps actors and gospel singers. They want me to be their grand diva - and teach the passengers a couple of acting classes."

"Sounds like fun," Jim commented. "Do you want to do it?"

"I don't know," Martha fretted. "I loved the last cruise we took, but that wasn't for work. I don't know how well I can communicate the seriousness of my craft to shipboard dilettantes. You know how some people think they can just step on a stage and instantly become an actor. I'd have to cast some of them. I would have to to put on a production using the passengers."

"After all the years you've been teaching, I'm sure you could handle it," Jim offered. "And it's not as if the critic from the Times will be sitting in the front row. The question is, do you want to do it?"

"The Caribbean is beautiful," Martha allowed. "And we could both cruise first class. That would be lovely. Damn the torpedoes! Martha Rodgers cannot be intimidated! I say let the show go on!"

Jim nodded, keeping the smile from his face. "So when do we leave?"


	176. Chapter 176

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 176

Castle looked up to see Lily standing in the doorway of his office, holding her tablet. "What's up, Sweetheart?"

"Daddy, I was looking at pictures of Colton Jennings online and look, he's with Big Reese and Big Jake. Do you think they could help me meet him?"

Castle shook his head regretfully. "I'm sorry, Baby, when people like Jake and Reese work security, they're not allowed to do things like that. They can't even talk about Colton Jennings. If they did, they'd lose their jobs and probably not be able to work for another celebrity again."

Lily's face pinched in way that reminded Rick of a younger Kate. "Oh."

"Tell you what," Castle added. "since Colton Jennings is in the city, check for public appearances. If there is one, I'll take you."

Lily googled hurriedly. "He's going to be at the premier of his new movie!"

"Fine, then we'll see if we can check out arrivals on the red carpet," Castle promised.

* * *

Jake was breathing hard while Mai lay relaxed next to him on a mat in her studio. His bare skin was sweaty against the Tatami surface. A friendly after hours sparring session had rapidly gained heat. Their work out clothes had flown across the room more swiftly than a kick could cut the air. Jake wasn't sure if he could even get up, but there was no need. The students were gone and it didn't look like Mai was going anywhere. "I think I could just sleep here," he murmured.

"My bed in the apartment upstairs might be more comfortable," Mai suggested.

"You may have a point," Jake agreed, pushing himself to sit up. "How do you like living where you work?"

Mai stood and extended a hand. "It's convenient, but it's also too convenient for my students, on occasion. They know where to find me, and there are times I'd rather not be found."

"So you might consider living somewhere else?" he ventured.

"Jake, wherever you're going, just get there," Mai urged. "What are you trying to ask me?"

"I was just thinking, what if we moved in together? My place is pretty big, or we could even get a bigger one."

"Jake, I'd have to think about that. There are some real logistical problems with it, some financial ones as well."

"But you're not saying no?" Jake asked, with unaccustomed anxiety in his voice.

Mai cradled his cheek with her palm. "I'm not saying yes either, but I'm not saying no."

* * *

With the twins at home in the care of Sarah Grace, Castle guided Lily to a place along the barricades on the approach to the red carpet. A couple of years earlier, he would have put her on his shoulders. He thought he could still do it, but under the circumstances, Lily had too much dignity to be in that position. She was also wearing her favorite dress, which would have further complicated a high perch. Limos were delivering the stars of _Loving Michelle_. They were snagged by interviewers from the entertainment shows and news services, but some made their way to the barricades where fans eagerly extended posters and pictures for them to sign. Lily had brought a picture of her own, and one of the pens Rick used at book signings, just in case.

Colson Jennings was the last star to arrive and Lily's voice joined the scream that rose from the crowd as he appeared. Colson was flanked by Reese Perkins, and his publicist, with Jake Pullman walking ahead, to make sure the way was clear. At first it seemed that Colson would avoid the clamoring crowd at the barricades entirely, but the actor called to Jake, and the entourage turned. Castle caught Jake's eye, and he led the way to where Lily waited, bouncing excitedly in the shiny sandals Kate had helped her pick out for her birthday.

Colson leaned down smiling, and took the pen to sign Lily's picture. He asked her name and told her she looked very pretty, before moving along the line of other waiting fans. Lily couldn't stand still, watching Colson retreat and finally enter the theater. As the crowd began to disperse, Castle herded his daughter back to the premium garage where he'd parked the car. "Was that everything you'd hoped?" Castle asked, as Lily belted herself into that back seat.

"Daddy, this is the best day I've ever had in my life! Did you hear him? He said I looked pretty!"

"I heard," Castle confirmed. "And he was right. You look lovely. But you always look lovely to me."

Lily rolled her eyes, before closing them to lean back and relive her big moment.

* * *

"It's not fair!" Reese Castle declared, crossing his arms across his chest, after his sister had bubbled her way through breakfast. "Lily got to meet that lame Colson Jennings, why can't I meet Brice Meecher? I want to see him draw Swamp Submariner."

"And you will," Rick assured him, "when we go to Magna Con this summer. It's only going to be a couple months."

"That's forever!" Reese protested.

"I know it seems to be," Castle commiserated, "but you'll be getting more than an autograph. You'll see him a lot. You're going to be in his comic drawing workshop for two whole hours. Won't that be great?"

"I guess," Reese admitted. "How about Jake?"

"He's going to be in the writing workshop with Zach Wilson. You two will be able to make comics even more terrific than the ones you make now. Sometimes the best things are worth waiting for. Isn't the way it is with Christmas and your birthday?"

"Yeah," Reese conceded.

"Good, now go get ready for school," Castle instructed.

Reese shuffled away dragging his sneakers against the floor.

* * *

"What did Alan say?" Jenny asked.

He said that the replacement of the water damaged beams supporting the kitchen looks good, and there's no reason we shouldn't be able to close the sale on time," Kevin reported.

"That's good, but forty-five days doesn't seem that long now," Jenny said. "We need to check on what's in storage. We'll have to sort through everything and see what we want to get rid of before we move. We'll have to get the kids to go through their stuff too. We'll need more furniture, and Reese and Eva's wedding is in the middle of everything, and Elizabeth will be born and..."

Kevin stroked her cheek. "Hey, usually I'm the one who does all the obsessing. We can get everything done in time, and even if we don't, the house has a basement with lots of room. We can sort through things later. The kids will have more time for that, during the summer. But listen, you know SG wants to commute, to finish at St. Theresa's, but Nick will be starting high school in Brooklyn. Alexis is supervising the set-up of the RCI office there. After Elizabeth is born, she'll have the baby with her a lot, at least for the first year or two. I'll be working out of there too, except when I'm on stakeouts with Javi, but we'll be doing all the skip traces from there. I'll be at home sometimes to write, too, so if you or the kids need me, I'll be available. You did a great job picking a house. We'll work everything out. The move will be great too.


	177. Chapter 177

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 177

The forecast for the day was for clear and sunny weather, but Alexis scanned the sky anxiously. There wasn't a cloud to be seen, but that didn't mean one wouldn't show up at the worst possible moment. Sergei had reminded her that rain wouldn't be the worst thing in the world; there was plenty of room to move the ceremony inside if necessary. But in her eyes, if it did rain, the event would lose the beauty and drama of taking place between the sun and the water.

There hadn't been much to set up. The guest list was short and the ceremony would be as well. There hadn't really even been a need for chairs, although Sergei insisted that she have one, and they were available for some of the more senior guests as well. The placing of the flowers and covering of the aisle with white cloth had been done quickly and efficiently by the florist, and the buffet inside had been lovingly arranged by Mary Tibault. Sarah Grace would be keeping tabs on Bernard in the family room.

The wedding was scheduled for eleven-thirty A.M., with lunch to follow. Weather permitting, there would be dancing on the deck, to music provided by a DJ. In a pinch, that could be moved inside as well. She wanted to make one more tour of the house. It had been professionally cleaned, but there was no telling what last minute chaos Bernard might have produced. After all she'd been through, Eva deserved a perfect day, and Alexis was going to make sure she had one.

Eva was at the house by ten, delivered by her brother, and carrying her dress. Alexis had obtained expert advice from Martha as to the best person to do Eva's hair and make-up and Mr. Edward was ready and waiting. Reese arrived at ten thirty, accompanied by Jake, and the two were segregated in Sergei's man cave. Guests began to arrive at eleven, and the sky remained clear.

Just before eleven-thirty. Reese and Jake took their place with the minister, near the edge of the deck, overlooking the water. The Pachelbell Canon floated from the sound system, and as matron of honor, Alexis came slowly down the aisle, wearing a loose dress in vibrant green. Eva followed, brilliant in white, smiling nervously at Reese. The minister performed the simple ceremony and as Eva and Reese finished their first wedded kiss, drops began to fall from the sky.

Sergei quickly herded everyone indoors, where the buffet and small tables had been set up. Champagne and sparkling cider was poured, by Sergei and Jake, then standing next to Mai, Jake raised his glass in a toast. "Reese and I have been though a lot together. We ducked bullets in places I'm not allowed to mention, and blocked them in too many places to recall. We have both devoted our hearts and minds to many battles, but I have never seen Reese as devoted to anything or anyone as he is to Eva, and anyone who looks at the two of them can see that it is returned. Their love is a light to a world too often filled with darkness, and to see them as they are, together this day, gives me hope I've rarely felt. To Eva and Reese, may your days together be long and ever filled with the joy of this moment. May the best of your yesterdays be the worst of your tomorrows."

By the time the guests had dug into into their well filled plates, the sky was clear once again and the deck dried rapidly in the sunlight. The DJ set up his equipment and Eva and Reese had the first dance under the rain's legacy, a rainbow.

* * *

"That was a nice toast," Mai commented as Jake drove her back to Manhattan. "You usually do most of your expression with your body. I had no idea you were so eloquent."

"I was just telling the truth," Jake explained, "and I got the last part off of Wikipedia. Reese and I have been through a lot together and he was never the way he is now, before he saw Eva. But then I wasn't ready to let a woman into my life before I met you."

Silence hung over the console between them. "You're trying not to ask, aren't you?" Mai prompted. "You want to know if I've decided about moving in with you."

"How the hell do you always know what I'm thinking?" Jake sputtered.

"Observing the signs, anticipation of the moves of an opponent," Mai explained. "You're not that hard to read, Jake."

"Fortunately, most of the people I've come up against haven't found it as easy as you do. And I'm not your opponent, Mai."

"Of course you aren't," she accepted. "But I can read your signals, the way you've been looking at me ever since the ceremony. So yes, I'd like to live with you, Jake, but I want you to move in with me. My apartment is part of the studio. I need to pay for it whether I live there or not and I don't want some subletter up there. And before you say you'll cover the rent on another apartment, I pay my own way. I have since I was emancipated at sixteen, and I earned a lot of it even before then. It you want to split costs on my apartment, I'd be fine with that, but that is where we would have to be."

Jake's hands tightened on the wheel. He'd been quartered almost everywhere imaginable. He could sleep soundly in a sleeping bag on solid rock, but he'd never pictured himself moving in with a woman. He'd never thought of himself as anti-feminist. He liked strong women - obviously, but Mai's proposition still shook him. It was not the male role with which he'd been raised, or which had been inculcated by military culture. But this was Mai. She had every right to what she was asking. His lease was up at the end of the month and he hadn't yet signed a new one. He had no good reason not to do what she was asking, other than his own mindset. Meeting Mai had changed that once already. It could change again. "Sure," he replied. "That'll work."

* * *

"That was lovely," Kate sighed as Rick drove back to Fieldston. "Can you believe that rainbow?"

"Almost as beautiful as the sunset when we were married," Castle agreed. "I hope it signifies the fabled promise. Those two deserve a good life together."

"Alexis looked about ready to deliver," Kate observed. "I was almost that big with the twins."

"She's supposed to have a couple more weeks, but Sergei told me the go bag is all ready and everyone at RCI is on alert, as are the Kasparovs. They'll be taking care of Bernard while Alexis and Sergei are at the hospital," Castle said.

"And you're on alert too," Kate added.

"Well of course," Castle acknowledged. "I'm not about to miss out on the birth of my granddaughter. I've already bought a few things."

"A few things?" Kate echoed. "I've seen what's in your office, Babe. It's a good thing Alexis and Sergei have a lot of room for storage in Elizabeth's nursery. Between you and whatever the Kasparov's shower on Elizabeth, they are going to need it. That bear with the page boy and the glasses, what is that supposed to be?"

"You mean Ware Bear? That's just props to my granddaughter's namesake."

"I should have known. Alright, doting grandfather, ready to return to the Castle horde?"

"Other than ensconced in the arms of the love of my life, I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be."

A/N Guest, Sarah Grace was born in season six, in 2014. The story is now in 2029. That puts her in high school. Nicholas was born in season eight, which would make him ready to start high school in the fall. Yes, time does fly.


	178. Chapter 178

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 178

Alexis was trying to concentrate, she really was. She was working on a skip trace from her computer at home. With all her experience and everything Hayley had taught her, usually jobs like that were a breeze and easy money for RCI. Not that morning. She was restless and couldn't, despite the inertia initiated by her bulk, sit still. She wasn't much more uncomfortable than usual, just distracted. She felt a light contraction, but she'd been having Braxton-Hicks for weeks, and had learned to ignore them. The series continued, eventually becoming impossible to ignore. and she began to time them. Five minutes apart. This really was it. She called Sergei and her car service.

The FTIR had just spit out the results of a paint analysis when Sergei's cell started to play Rock-a Bye Baby. He dropped the printout on a colleague's desk on his way to the door. Alexis' hospital of choice, where Bernard had been born, was closer to him than it was to their new home in Greenpoint, so they'd agreed he'd meet her there. He had her go bag in his trunk. He should have had time make it there first, and call his parents and Rick. His intentions were thwarted by a broken down garbage truck blocking his way. Traffic was at a standstill, and by the time the N.Y.P.D. had managed to break up the jam, he'd been stuck for half an hour, with making his calls the only productive thing he could do. He and Alexis arrived almost simultaneously, and he gave the necessary information to the clerk, while she was taken to the OB floor for examination. Castle had already arrived and was activating prearrangements for a neighbor to keep an eye on Lily and the twins when they came home from school. The two of them paced together, until a volunteer took them up to the room where Alexis had been settled until she was ready to deliver. A fetal monitor reported on Elizabeth's well being, and a new, sensor driven version of spinal anesthesia had already been inserted.

Alexis' face glowed with anticipation. "The nurse practitioner said I may have hours to go yet, but everything with Elizabeth looks just fine."

"Anything you need?" Castle asked.

"I'd love some Oreo cookies," Alexis confided. "The nurses said carbs could help my labor along."

"I doubt Oreo's were what they had in mind," Sergei commented. "That wonderful stuff in the middle is half fat. I ran an analysis once."

Alexis laughed. "I'm not surprised."

"There's one of those healthy snack concessions off the lobby. How about if I find the most evil thing they have?" Castle suggested. "Just don't give birth before I get back."

Alexis rolled her eyes. "I'll try my best, Dad."

* * *

The Senate Chamber was the last place Kate wanted to be. She'd received Rick's text that Alexis was in labor, and she would much rather have been at his side. If nothing else, she wanted to be there to keep him from driving his older daughter crazy, but also because she knew he could use the support. Though he usually presented the most upbeat face to the world, she knew his writer's mind would run through every scenario where something could go wrong, he just wouldn't say so. Not that she expected anything would go wrong. Once Alexis was past her initial difficulties, her pregnancy had been smooth - or as smooth as possible while sharing her resources with a developing being. Still, no one had expected a problem with Nicholas's birth either, and Jenny had almost lost her life. Kate didn't really believe that the two genie's wishes Castle had given up had saved their friend, but it had been a terrifying time.

The speeches droned in Kate's ears. Cap would call for the vote any minute - please. As soon as she'd cast hers, she would head for Johanna and New York City. With any luck, she might even make it before Elizabeth was born. At least she'd be able to let Castle know she was on her way.

* * *

The minutes ticked by slowly for Castle. Alexis and Sergei seemed to be handling everything very well together, and he felt a bit like an intruder. Other than play errand boy, which seemed unnecessary at the moment, there was nothing he could do for his daughter, so he'd retrieved his laptop from his car, sat in the hallway, and attempted to write.

The first thing that came into his head was a birth aboard the Star Train. But what kind of birth? He wanted something new and interesting. The reading Sara El-Masri had recommended had supplied him with a variety of models, but he still wanted something different. Perhaps the folding of space could have something to do with it, providing a way to ease the passage of a new being into the world. Ooh, better; a new world with just the right temperature, atmosphere, and sustenance to provide perfect growth. He would have aliens whose offspring each had a pocket universe of their own in which to develop. The problem would be, how to maintain such a thing aboard the Star Train, if something happened to the parent and the child couldn't generate it on its own. Pirri would have to hustle accomplish that act of minor godhood, and when he succeeded, the young alien would be a child of the Star Train. It could be a continuing character.

Immersed in his act of creation, Rick was surprised when he looked up to see Kate. "Hey," he said as she leaned in for a kiss. "I didn't think you'd make it, but I'm really glad you're here."

"You looked pretty caught up in whatever it is you're writing," Kate observed.

"Only my best attempt at distraction, I can assure you," Castle confided. "Your arrival does give us an excuse to look in on Alexis. The nurse has been in there checking on her a few times, but I don't sense any urgency yet."

Kate stuck her head into the room, with Rick behind her. "How are you doing?"

"Kate!" Alexis smiled at the entrance of her stepmother. "According to the nurses, everything is fine and I'm at six centimeters. I just wish things would go a little faster."

"I know what you mean," Kate commiserated. "Waiting is the hardest part, but it's worth it."

"I know," Alexis agreed. "What's going on in Albany? This is your last week for the year, isn't it?"

"It is," Kate confirmed. "After Elizabeth makes her appearance, I'll have to go back for one more vote."

Castle sighed, and Kate put a comforting hand on his arm. "But after that I'll be in New York until January."

"It will be good to have you here to keep Dad out of trouble," Alexis quipped.

"I resemble that remark!" Castle protested, but the banter was cut short as an alarm went off on the fetal monitor. A nurse rushed into the room. She glanced at the readings and paged the doctor.

"What's wrong?" Alexis asked.

"The baby's heartbeat slowed down," the nurse explained. "We need to clear everyone from the room except your husband, so the doctor can have a look at what's going on."

Kate grabbed Castle's hand and led him back out to the hall as the doctor rushed in.


	179. Chapter 179

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 179

A doctor and nurse hurriedly wheeled Alexis' bed out of her room, with Sergei following. Rick and Kate ran after them. "What's happening?" Castle asked breathlessly.

"The baby isn't getting enough oxygen," Sergei reported, tried to gulp air himself. "The doctor thinks the cord is compressed. They're going to do an emergency C-section. I'm going with my wife."

The group pushing the bed, and Sergei, disappeared behind a pair of doors. "Damn!" Kate cursed.

Castle pulled out his phone. "I need to call Mother. She's all caught up in getting ready for her cruise and was going to come to the hospital after Elizabeth was born, but she'll want to know."

"My dad will want to say a prayer too," Kate added.

The wait seemed interminable, but it was only a few minutes before Sergei emerged. "Alexis is fine. Elizabeth's Apgar was a little low, but she's breathing all right and everything is where it's supposed to be. They're going to run some tests, but the doctor was encouraging."

"The doctor got to the baby so fast, everything should be all right, shouldn't it?" Castle pressed.

"No one in there promised that, but I hope so," Sergei responded.

Alexis held Elizabeth in the midst of a room crowded with family. "The pediatrician couldn't find anything wrong. She said there were some proteins in Elizabeth's blood that can be markers for future problems, but a lot of the time, those problems never materialize."

"So everything could work out fine?" Castle interpreted.

"She thinks so," Alexis confirmed.

"Well thank God for that!" Martha exclaimed.

"How about we all get out of here and give Alexis and Sergei some time together with the baby?" Jim Beckett proposed.

I'll spring for dinner," Castle announced. "There's a place not to far from here that I heard the doctors and nurses go to avoid the food in the cafeteria."

* * *

"You didn't tell them," Sergei said, when the room had emptied.

"That our baby has an increased chance of dying of sudden infant death? I couldn't tell them that. Besides, we're not going to let it happen. You're going to get one of those special monitors Dr. Choo suggested, before we bring Elizabeth home, right?"

"Of course," Sergei agreed. "the best on the market."

* * *

"So Martha," Kate asked, "When do you and Dad start your cruise?"

"Two weeks," Martha answered, "but I still have a lot to do. We're putting together the script for the production and I have to make sure it's something amateurs can handle. I'm also collaborating with the other real actors to work out the curriculum for our classes."

"I'm sure you can whip things into shape, Mother," Castle offered, stirring the bowl of salsa with a chip.

"Yes, well, I suppose I've done more with less," Martha responded.

"Considering the productions you put on in my living room, I'd say you definitely have," Castle declared.

"Did Alexis finish setting up the satellite office for RCI?" Jim inquired.

"She did," Castle confirmed. "Ryan has been in there, preparing his work space for when he and Jenny and the kids move to their new house. That's going to be in a few days. Eva will be putting in some time in that office too, so she'll be closer to Alexis."

"It's good that Alexis will have her there, and also that Jenny won't be too far away either," Kate offered. "Are Eva and Reese back from their honeymoon yet?"

"They were supposed to be, but they decided to extend it," Castle explained. "They rented a little place on Pineapple Island and the reservation for the next tenant fell through, so they decided to linger in paradise for a little while longer. They were supposed to be back for Alexis' original due date. Eva wanted to be there for Alexis, but I guess Elizabeth didn't get the memo."

"Just as well," Kate asserted. "Eva didn't need the drama. She'll just get to see a beautiful mama and a lovely baby."

* * *

Jenny surveyed the piles of filled and sealed boxes. Kevin had offered to hire professional packers, but she couldn't make herself feel comfortable with that. When she'd inherited her grandmother's china, it had been professionally packed, but two of the cups had still broken in transit. She was taking no chances that anything would be destroyed or lost in this move. She'd given loving care to all her precious fragile items. She'd also made a careful inventory of each box and its contents and where it would end up in the new house, and been amazed at how much junk they'd accumulated. Their storage unit was full of clothes fit only for retro sitcoms. They even still had some of Kevin's original street furniture finds. He'd hated to let them go, but as the thrift store truck took them off the Ryans' hands, Jenny had reassured him that they'd find new life in a dorm room, or with another broke cop.

Some things they, especially Kevin, couldn't bear to part with. He had carefully preserved SG's flower costume from her first pre-school production, even though his daughter couldn't remember wearing it. He still had DVDs of the talent competition routines he'd done with Javi, even with DVD players being hopelessly outdated. He'd even kept the first tie she'd ever given him. It was awful and she wondered where her fashion sense had been the day she bought it. For him to hold onto it, was sweet.

She was ready to go, or as ready as she ever would be. The house was beautiful, but she couldn't help an attachment to the apartment where both her children had been conceived and where the family had shared so many memories. She stepped back from the stacks. It was time to think of the future, and the best way she could think of to do that, was to go out and get a baby gift for Elizabeth. Nothing could be more hopeful than a new baby.

* * *

Castle tossed anxiously, when he and Kate finally made it to bed. "Worried about the baby?" Kate asked.

"Alexis has a tell. Her nose crinkles a little when she's lying or holding something back. It's been that way ever since she was a little girl. I saw her do it today. There was definitely something she wasn't telling us. And I could tell Sergei knew what it was."

"If you're right, Babe, then Sergei is exactly the person who should know," Kate pointed out. "There are a lot of things we keep between us, that I don't tell my dad and you don't tell Martha. It would be a lot worse if Sergei didn't know. That's how you and I always got into trouble, keeping things from each other. Other than surprise gifts, I'm glad we finally decided not to do it anymore."

"Me too," Castle agreed, drawing her to him for a kiss. "But I'm still worried. I've researched the things that can go wrong with babies."

"Of course you have," Kate interjected.

"Kate, those proteins can be markers for all kinds of developmental delays, they're not nothing. And if Alexis was willing to mention those and hold something else back, then it's something that is really scaring her - and Alexis doesn't scare easily."

"I know she doesn't, Castle, but whatever it is, you can't push her about it. She'll have to tell you in her own time. Until then there's nothing you can do, and losing sleep can't help Alexis, Elizabeth, or you."

Castle tucked Kate again his side. "You're right." He did his best to close his eyes, but frightening thoughts still swirled through his brain.


	180. Chapter 180

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 180

Alexis was managing to work a couple of hours a day at the RCI satellite office, with Elizabeth in a bassinet at her feet. Elizabeth's monitor had remained silent and the baby was eating and sleeping as might normally be expected. Elizabeth had also passed her first check-up with no concerns. Alexis was beginning to relax - a little. She still couldn't concentrate on her screen for more than a few minutes without looking down to check on the baby, but she was getting some work done.

Ryan was in the office much of the day. He, Jenny, and the kids were getting settled in the new house. Jenny had yet to hold an official housewarming. That was something Alexis could understand. She'd met some of Jenny's relatives. There were a few who could detect a speck of dirt at twenty paces and would quickly note anything out of place. Jenny would want things to be perfect.

Eva, still glowing from her honeymoon, had been alternating her time between Manhattan and Brooklyn. There was actually still more work for her to do at the main office, especially since she still proofread Richard Castle stories there, but Alexis suspected that Eva liked being around her and Elizabeth. A couple of times, Eva had wondered out loud about having a baby of her own, when she was finished with school. Alexis imagined that with Reese as a father and Jake as a doting "uncle," any baby Eva had might be one of the safest children on the planet.

Alexis and Sergei had still kept the risk to Elizabeth to themselves. The device that electronically detected the sounds of her breathing and heart rate was miniaturized and could easily travel unnoticed with the baby at all times. Not only would it emit an alarm if anything went wrong, it would send one to every electronic device that Alexis and Sergei had. There was no way any potential danger to the little girl could escape detection and swift intervention. Before Alexis and Sergei had taken Elizabeth home from the hospital, they'd both been given a refresher course in infant CPR. They were prepared. The baby was never more than a couple of feet from one or the other of them. It wasn't necessary, and when she outgrew her bassinet, it would be more difficult, but for now, that was how they were coping. Both Alexis and Sergei could sleep more soundly knowing that Elizabeth was instantly within reach.

* * *

Castle was preparing to take Reese and Jake to Lotsa Con in nearby New Jersey. It would be their first con of the summer. He'd put a sneak peek at his upcoming collection of Star Train stories on the Castle Press website and linked it to his Twitter account. It had caused enough of a buzz that he'd been given a last minute autograph session. He'd even snagged himself a staff person to accompany the twins to a superhero panel, while he worked.

He wished he could be more excited about the trip. He'd been to visit Alexis and Elizabeth several times, and the unease at what he saw had settled in his midsection. He was not surprised that Alexis was was attached to the baby. He could remember not wanting to put any of his children down after he'd first held them. But Alexis seemed to be going overboard in a way that she hadn't with Bernard. If anything, he would have expected that sort of behavior with a first child, not a second.

Alexis was nervous too. Despite the fact that she was recovering from her surgery, she was never still. Her eyes constantly darted to the baby and her head was cocked as if listening for something. Her tell was still evident as well. Whatever was going on with Elizabeth, he wished that Alexis would just let it out. It couldn't be any worse than his dark imaginings. But he knew Kate was right in counseling patience. Next to Kate, Alexis was the most stubborn person he'd ever known. If he tried to intrude on her privacy, she'd just push him further away.

He wished Kate could go to the con with him, but not only was she staying with Lily, she'd already immersed herself in the legal chores for her cause. She working to get funds for Luisa Rodriguez to relocate and she had five other cases as well. He was proud of her, he always was, but just at that moment, he could use a little more Kate time.

* * *

Kate was seriously considering hiring a paralegal. Even when she was a detective, paperwork had been the least favorite part of her job. She was ashamed to admit to herself that she'd pawned it off on Kevin and Javi whenever she could. When she was a captain, it was even worse. As Advocate, at least she'd had a staff, and she had help in Albany as well. There were paralegals who volunteered for FTC, but they had enough of a workload without Kate adding to it. For now, she'd just slog through.

As much as she loved being around Castle and the boys, it would be a relief to have the hubbub out of the house for a couple of days. She knew Lily could use the respite as well. She had seen the decrease in tension in her daughter, at having a summer break from her program at Juilliard. Lily still practiced and wrote as much as ever, but she could tell her daughter's stress level had fallen. There was a playfulness to some of her music that had been absent for a while. She'd seen Lily checking out the websites for Performing Arts, and Music and Art high schools and wondered if her daughter had a change of plans in the works. Either high school would be fine with Kate, since she'd gone to a public special school herself and had a great time there. She couldn't imagine Rick would object either. Performing Arts had the _Fame_ cachet. Lily had yet to say anything about high school, but if she was going to apply, it would have to be the next year.

At the moment, Kate was thinking more about the upcoming weekend. If she could manage to get through the paperwork, she had an expedition in mind for herself and Lily. There was a hair and makeup show in town and they would be doing makeovers, including some appropriate for younger ages. Ever since Castle took her to see Colson Jennings, Lily had been spending more time primping in front of the mirror, trying figure out how to best show off the beauty her idol had complimented. Not only would the thoroughly girly activity be a boost to Lily's mood, it would add to her confidence as well, something any twelve year old girl could use.

Kate glanced back to her computer screen. She could understand why Alexis had said that when under deadline, Rick wrote in a caffeinated haze. The blank space on the page would look considerably less daunting with a large shot of caffeine. With any luck, there was still some of the pot of coffee Castle had made that morning left in the kitchen. Now she was the one procrastinating, but maybe they could share a cup together. That would definitely be the highlight of her morning.


	181. Chapter 181

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 181

The twins bounced into the house with Castle trudging behind them. His eyes lit on his daughter, who was excitedly waiting for him to notice the face framing pixie cut that accentuated her eyes and cheekbones, and her perfect manicure emblazoned with tiny musical symbols. "You look beautiful, Sweetheart."

"I know, Daddy," Lily said. "I wish Colson Jennings could see me now."

"You may get a chance to see him again. I believe he's scheduled for a con at the end of the summer to promote some sort of new project."

Lily's grin widened. "The Rings Of Haarsma! That would be sepshal, Daddy!"

Castle winked. "I'll see about getting you a VIP pass."

"You look tired," Kate noted, when the children had withdrawn to their rooms.

"I am." Castle admitted. "Except for the couple of hours when the boys were in their workshop while I was at my table, we never stopped moving. Reese wanted to hunt down and talk to every artist and Jake was the same way with the writers. Then there was the cosplay competition and parade, and the sales floor where they saw something they wanted from almost every booth. I gave them a dollar limit and they kept begging for me to raise it. They would turn this place into a collectibles museum if I let them."

Kate put a hand over her mouth to block the snort that was threatening to burst free. "I don't think the nuts have fallen far from the tree, Babe. How many alien weapons do you have in your collection now?"

"Touché," Castle acknowledged. "Listen, this old trunk needs to dip itself in the revitalizing waters of the Jacuzzi."

"You go ahead," Kate urged. "Lily and I loaded up the crock pot this morning. We can have dinner anytime your wood is hydrated."

"Ooh, that sounds deliciously dirty. We'll have to revisit that later."

* * *

"Did you have a good class?" Reese asked, when Eva returned to their apartment late in the evening.

"I don't know. Professor Parker is into what she calls explication. She wants us to find deeper meaning in stories. I heard Rick joking with Alexis about that once. Someone had written an essay on the deep meaning of one of his books, except that the book had no deep meaning except to fulfill a contract, and get someone named Gina, out of his hair. I think Professor Parker may be full of it, but I have to write a paper explicating a story, anyway. I'm going to see what Alexis says. She told her father that she was always good at coming up with theories to make professors who wanted that kind of thing, happy. She should be in the Brooklyn office tomorrow morning."

"Does she still have the baby with her all the time?" Reese asked.

"Except when Sergei has a day off. Then Elizabeth is with him. But she's good. She doesn't cry that much and the outfits Alexis puts on her are just adorable. Even her diapers have cute pictures on them. I love all that baby stuff. It's like I'm seeing it everywhere now. I never even used to think about it."

"You really want one of our own, don't you?" Reese questioned.

"I do," Eva confided. "The more I see of Elizabeth, the more I do. But there's school and work. And you work all the time too."

"I don't have to take any assignment I don't want," Reese reminded her. "Alexis already lets you keep flexible hours and you could do school online. A lot of people do. Even the Ivy League schools offer classes like that. Eva, I've seen people raising kids in conditions you couldn't imagine. But they loved them and they managed to take care of them anyway. The adjustments we'd have to make seem like nothing in comparison. So if you want to try for a rug rat, I'll do my best for any child of ours, anytime, anyplace."

Eva stretched up on tiptoe to kiss her husband.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do it?" Kevin pressed.

"We need to," Jenny declared. "We've been hearing unsubtle hints from O'Malleys and Ryans. They want to see the great house we lucked into."

"Luck had nothing to do with it," Ryan protested. "If it did, I would have hit the lottery. I worked hard to track down Mavis Utbridge."

Jenny put a hand on his arm. "I know you did, Kevin. But you know how people are. I have everything where I want it to be, now. We can have our housewarming and they can see that we're not living in some big mansion. It's just a house."

"Alright," Kevin conceded. "But there's no reason you should knock yourself out over it. Some pub snacks, some coffee, wine, and beer will be fine. We could even get the food from O'Riley's. With your work at the FTC center, and the time you spend getting there, you have more than enough to do. Aren't there more people coming in trying to get help from Kate?"

"There are," Jenny confirmed. "Even if they don't qualify under the new law, we try to keep the kids healthy and support the parents any way we can. We're expanding daycare again. Food from O'Riley's would be great. I'll send the invitations out tomorrow."

* * *

Alexis' eyes flew open as Sergei's cell phone buzzed. He glanced at the text on the screen and reached over to smooth her hair. "Relax. I'm just being called out on a case. High priority. Some big shot must have gotten himself killed."

Reflexively, Alexis leaned over the side of the bed to check on Elizabeth, who had managed to sleep peacefully through the commotion. After she'd assured herself the baby was still breathing, she turned back to Sergei who was already pulling on working clothes. "You'll give me a call when you know what's going on?"

"Just go back to sleep," he urged. "I'll call you in the morning."

* * *

Sergei surveyed the scene. The brass were out in force. Even Chief Gates had been roused. The taped off perimeter was twice as large as usual, suggesting that any curious eyes would be discouraged from seeing anything worth passing on. "Who's the victim?" Sergei asked lead detective, Grant (Sully) Sullivan.

"Her name is Mamie Shumberg. She's got a big movie and a show on pay cable. She's also the cousin of Chuck Shumberg, you know, the big deal politician. She was murdered, multiple stab wounds. The M.E. says there are signs that she was raped too. Whoever did it, it's going to be hell if we don't catch him fast."

Sergei nodded as he pulled on his protective booties and his gloves. "Murder is always hell for someone. How well was the scene protected?"

Sully shrugged. "Not very. M.E. thinks Mamie's been dead for hours. The body was discovered by someone doing his nightly free running. He probably sweated on it."

"We'll get his DNA to exclude him." Sergei said.

"We don't know who else might have been through. There are clubs in the area. Lots of people wandering around, and no cameras aimed at where the body was found."

"Sounds like a mess," Sergei commented.

"You're right about that," Sully agreed. "Gonna be a long night. Listen. I'm sending someone out for bagels. You want one?"

"No thanks," Sergei demurred, hoping no errant crumbs would drift into evidence. "I think I'm going to have my hands full."

A/N Guest, Lily need not be that tall. Alexis is only five foot four, or at least Molly Quinn is. Meredith (or Darby Stanchfield) is five foot seven, not short for a woman. Castle, or Nathan, is almost six two. There are multiple genes that go into height, from my research, more than 400, so lots of variations are possible. Jim Beckett is not that tall, (Scott Paulin's height doesn't seem to be on record), so Kate has some shorter genes in the mix. Castle is shorter than his father, (James Brolin), by a couple of inches. Martha, (Susan Sullivan) is also five seven, tall for her generation. I'm five one, my husband is just short of five eleven, my younger son is six feet, but my older one is five nine. Go figure.


	182. Chapter 182

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 182

Tears threatened to erupt from Lily's eyes as she ran to her father's office. "Daddy! I just saw a picture on the internet. The police took Colson Jennings!"

Castle took a second to shift gears, from aliens in outer space. "Uh, did the article you saw, say why?"

Lily's voice trembled. "No. Somebody just posted the picture. He looked awful."

"Hey, it might be okay. Did he have handcuffs on?"

"No," Lily recalled.

"Then Sweetheart, there may be nothing to worry about. He wasn't being arrested. They could just want to talk to him about something he saw or someone he knows. Your mama and I talked to tons of people on cases, and most of them weren't in any kind of trouble. Sometimes Mama sent a police car to get them, anyway."

"I wish Mama were here," Lily fretted. "I tried to call her, but it went to voice mail."

"She's probably in court," Castle assumed. He checked the time in the corner of his screen. "They usually recess at five. In a few more minutes, you can try her again, but she'll probably say the same thing. If it will make you feel better, I can call down to the Old Haunt and see if there's talk floating around from the cops getting a drink after their shift."

"Please call, Daddy," Lily urged.

* * *

Detective Grant Sullivan didn't look imposing. He was short, slightly rolly polly, and smiled easily. He wasn't smiling at Colton now. "Mr. Jennings, you were seen at a club with Mamie Shumberg last night."

"I was there," Colton confirmed, "along with a few hundred other people. Mamie and I danced for a few minutes. What about it?"

"Several witnesses said that you had an argument." Sully remarked.

"We disagreed, Detective. Mamie had an idea for a movie she wanted me to be in. I didn't like her pitch," Colson explained. "Is that against the law now?"

"No, but murder is. Mamie was found dead early this morning."

Colson gulped and blanched. "I had no idea. I got back to my hotel late. I'm booked on McKinnon tonight, so I was sleeping in when your guys came and got me. I hadn't seen any news. You can ask them. They had to wait for me to get dressed."

"I will. When was the last time you saw Mamie Shumberg?" Sully questioned.

"When I rejected her offer. After that she wandered away, I would assume to pitch someone else. I danced with a few more women, then I left. You can check with the hotel. I had to use my fingerprint to take the VIP elevator and get into my room. I'm sure there's a record on their computer somewhere."

"And you didn't see Mamie after you left the club?" Sully persisted.

"No Detective, I did not. I'm truly sorry about what happened to her, but I had nothing to do with it. If there's nothing else, can I go? McKinnon tapes at seven and I need to get ready. I'm barely going to make it."

"You're free to go," Sully agreed, "but don't leave town."

"Detective Sullivan, I am here for two more days, then I have a movie to shoot in Winnipeg, so I will be leaving town. If you need anything else before then, you know how to contact me."

* * *

"So we both told Lily that everything would probably be fine for Colson Jennings. What did you find out about the case?" Kate asked as she and Castle sipped late evening wine together.

"Not much," Castle admitted. "Mamie Shumberg's death is all over the web, but the N.Y.P.D. isn't commenting on the investigation. The bartender at the Old Haunt heard that Jennings had been picked up, but that was it, except that Sully is primary on the case. I had Espo check with him, but he wasn't talking. You?"

"Pretty much the same. I called a couple of contacts. No one would admit to knowing much of anything. Lanie said she heard that Sergei was assigned to the case, but I know better than to ask him. He's the most conscientious CSU investigator I've ever known. He would never release details of an active investigation. But I know one thing, there is heavy political pressure to solve this one and a lot of extra bodies have been assigned to it. Sooner or later a leak will spring somewhere."

"Mm," Castle agreed. "Chuck Shumberg took a couple of questions from the press. It was pretty clear he's going to keep the pressure up until the police have a suspect in custody. I just hope it doesn't turn out to be Jennings. That would break Lily's heart."

Kate took his hand and nodded. "Yeah, I know, but the evidence will lead where it will lead, Castle. If it is Jennings, we'll just have to be there for her while she puts the pieces back together.

* * *

Sergei scrolled through the analysis of the DNA found on Mamie Shumberg's body. There was a match to Colton Jennings, whose DNA was on file in case of abduction, but Sully had said the actor had admitted to dancing with her, so it could be meaningless. There was also a match to the free runner who'd found her. Again, that proved nothing. The M.E. had confirmed rape through vaginal tears, but there were traces of spermicide. The murderer had worn a condom, probably after stabbing her. Whoever it was, was one sick bastard. There were three other samples of DNA. One was female, a witness perhaps, but not the perpetrator. Two others were male. None of the three were in the system, but he could do phenotyping. At least that would give Sully and his team profiles of people to look for.

He gazed at his watch. He hadn't been home in eighteen hours. He'd managed to catch a couple of naps while tests were running, he was feeling okay, but his absence right now would be hard on Alexis. He'd hand things off and get home as soon as he could.

* * *

"What the fuck was Mamie up to?" Chuck Shumberg fumed at Larissa Stevens, Mamie's personal assistant.

"She was trying to get funding for her new project, sir, but she couldn't shake anything loose without a name besides her own attached to it. I know she was planning to talk to Colton Jennings. They have a history. They dated for a while a couple of years back. It was on the 'DL'. The press never caught wind of it. She said she was looking into alternative sources of funds too, but she didn't tell me any of the details. She was pretty determined to make it happen. She could have talked to the wrong person. I don't know. I'm sorry, Sir," Larissa apologized.

"It's not your fault," Shumberg conceded. "Mamie's been going off on tangents her entire life. My uncle's always been pulling her out of trouble. Have the police talked to you?"

"Yes, Sir, a Detective Sullivan. He asked me to go through my notes and put together a list of possible contacts Mamie might have made before she was killed. He also wanted to know if anyone had a grudge against her or she'd received any threats."

"And what did you tell them?" Shumberg queried.

"I gave him the names of several actresses who'd lost parts to her, but he didn't seem to think that would be helpful. There were some threats, but there are always trolls. Mamie didn't take them seriously."

Shumberg sighed. "Maybe she should have."


	183. Chapter 183

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 183

"You didn't tell me Lance Hastings would be on board," Jim Beckett said, with uncharacteristic sullenness.

"What difference does it make?" Martha asked, pretending to enjoy her wheat grass smoothie. "He's an actor. He's playing a role."

"Like he played the role of your love interest?" Jim pressed.

"Darling, that was over forty years ago," Martha protested, "but how did you know? I can't picture you watching Temptation Lane."

"Katie and Johanna were both fans. I couldn't help catching a scene now and then. And Katie brought up the show to me again when that writer was murdered on the set. She said you'd had a reunion of sorts with Lance."

"Yes, well, that's true," Martha acknowledged. "But it didn't last long. Richard accused him of murder, not the best start for the rekindling of a relationship. But all that was still years ago." Martha framed his freshly shaven face in her perfectly manicured hands. "I've never seen you jealous before and I must say, I'm enjoying it. There's some real fire in your eyes."

"Just as long as there isn't any in yours, at least not for that bloated buffoon," Jim grumbled, stabbing at an errant piece of smoked salmon, from the plate he'd filled at the ship's sumptuous buffet.

"Don't worry, darling," Martha soothed. "Any blaze you see in these eyes around Lance, is purely a product of my acting prowess." Martha took another sip of her smoothie. "But my powers must be ebbing. Even I can't pretend this sludge is drinkable. Where did you get that lovely salmon?"

"Third platter from the end," Jim directed.

Martha headed for the buffet table.

* * *

Jenny flopped into a chair. "Still recovering from yesterday?" Kevin inquired.

"I can't believe your Aunt Finula, Kevin. I could have sworn she was going to pull a level out of that tote of hers to make sure the shelves you and Javi put up were straight. And I think half the food from O'Riley's disappeared into that bag."

"She's living on a fixed income," Kevin explained. "I'm sure every little bit helps."

"All she had to do was ask," Jenny grumbled. "I would have wrapped up anything she wanted, for her to take home."

"I know," Kevin commiserated, "but it was old country pride. Anyway, it's over. We've fulfilled our familial responsibilities, at least until the next major holiday. And it was great having Lanie and Alan here. I think Alan's explanation of the finer points of the house's construction drove half the crowd to the door early."

Jenny giggled. "Lanie saw how things were going and put him up to it. She and I had a good laugh about it in the kitchen. Kate joined us while we were hiding in there. She needed a laugh too. Lily has a real crush on Colton Jennings and she's agonizing over his involvement in the Mamie Shumberg murder. Now that it's leaked to the tabloids, there's been non-stop internet speculation about a love affair gone wrong. Kate told Lily not to read that trash, but she's twelve and he's her idol. She can't help it."

"Like mother like daughter," Kevin observed. "Kate had a real thing for Castle, from when she started reading his books when she was still a teenager. It drove her crazy for years to find out her idol wasn't perfection, before she could admit she was in love with him anyway. Javi and I watched it happen."

"Yeah, I saw it too." Jenny agreed."But it turned out to be a great love story, almost as great as ours."

"True, but I don't see Lily ending up with Colton Jennings," Kevin mused.

Jenny smiled. "But little girls can dream."

* * *

Sully looked up at the towering figure of L.T., out of police blues, since his promotion."I've been through all the threat tweets and emails," L.T. reported. "I've been trying to match them to the profiles Kasparov developed."

"Did you come up with anything?" Sully asked.

"I may have," L.T. replied. "Look at this guy. He was using Mamie's picture as his icon, but I traced down his account." L.T. presented Sully with a copy of a DMV photo. "This is him. Pretty good match. He was sending love tweets to Mamie for about six months, then when she didn't respond, he started to get ugly."

"Any DNA on file?" Sully queried.

L.T. shook his head. "No such luck. The threats fall just short of criminal and he's never been picked up for anything."

"Well bring him in," Sully instructed. "And let's make sure he gets a coffee or soda or something."

* * *

It was the small fraction of the year when Winnipeg was actually hot, and Colton Jennings was sweating. Detective Sullivan didn't have enough cause to keep him in New York, but his trip to Canada was not exactly going smoothly. The internet chatter had not died down, if anything, as the rumors grew, it was worse. His assistant Carrie, told him that she had heard some rumblings on the set about him being replaced. No one had said anything to him or to his agent yet, but he'd seen it happen before. He knew his position was precarious in any case. There was always someone younger, handsomer, buffer, or just plain cheaper. It didn't take much to put a career in the dumper. He'd seen some actors recover, but he'd seen a lot that spent the rest of their years scraping by on guest shots, or just giving up and doing commercials for cat food, or selling real estate.

He and Mamie had been closer than he had admitted to Sullivan, but their break-up had been mutual, and Mamie had not been surprised when he'd passed on her project. He'd never been comfortable with her stock and trade of political satire, and she knew it. He didn't appreciate the venom it spawned on social media. There were actors better suited to the role; activists like Mamie. He'd suggested a couple. Mamie hadn't been angry, just a little disappointed. The memes that were making the rounds made it look like he and Mamie had the fight of the century, with him dripping with blood, bending over her lifeless body. Those images might even have helped him if he was in the market for a snuff movie, but for young romance, they wouldn't fly. He could only hope that the N.Y.P.D. would uncover the real culprit soon, or he would be taking a vacation - a long vacation.

* * *

Sully stared through the observation window at Tolliver Simpson. The man was nervous, but that was a good thing. He took long draws on the bottled water L.T. had provided and wiped his brow with tissues from the dispenser on the table. They would have more than enough DNA, but Sully wasn't sure it would do them any good. Simpson just didn't have the feel of a murderer or a rapist. He was cowing even as L.T. was asking questions in a way as unthreatening as the tall cop could manage, and the suspect had not made a single move that would imply aggression or an attempt at dominance. Sully pegged Simpson as a typical internet bully. He would spout his threats behind a mask of anonymity, but was a coward when exposed. As a little chubby kid, Sully had encountered a few of his type. It had been his observation that they often didn't change much when they grew up. He doubted that Simpson would have had the guts to go after a strong woman like Mamie Shumberg, in person. He might have to look elsewhere for her killer, but at that moment he had no idea where.


	184. Chapter 184

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 184

Jake watched Mai put her students through their paces. Her movements were still impossibly fluid, but she seemed just a hair off her game. He could understand why. Mai had spotted a guy trying to assault a woman on a mostly deserted subway platform, and had intervened and taken him down. She had kept his injuries to a minimum, merely dislocating his shoulder. It would have been very painful, something Jake considered a positive, but any ER doctor should have been able to pop it back into place. The woman Mai saved had praised Mai to the cops, who had made it very clear in their report that Mai had stepped in purely as a good Samaritan. That should have been the end of it, but it wasn't. The attacker, one Nick Baas, had decided to sue Mai for pain and suffering. Nick had hired a surprisingly high class lawyer to do it, making Jake suspect he might have unexpected resources. Jake ran a background check and discovered that Nick was the ne'er do well scion of a very old and rich family, one that had been in New York since it was New Amsterdam. Rather than be embarrassed by his behavior, the family was obviously trying to make Mai the villain of the piece.

Mai was making a decent income from the studio, but her overhead was high. Expensive counsel was beyond her means. Jake had offered to kick in, but Mai would have no part of that. Then Jake had suggested Mai approach Kate Beckett, but Kate had said that the case was out of her area of expertise and suggested the firm her father had founded might be a better choice. Jim Beckett was out of the country, but Kate had made introductions to his colleagues. The fees would be reasonable - for lawyers - but still nothing to sneeze at. Baas was asking for an apology and a settlement. Mai would never give the former and couldn't afford the latter, so the matter would go to court. Mai's lawyer, Mina Van Owen, was hoping for a summary judgment against Baas, but anything was possible. There was wasn't much Jake could do except make sure Mai knew he was behind her a hundred percent. He would have loved to take Nick Baas out and beat him up himself, but that would have just made matters worse.

* * *

Grant Sullivan had backtracked on his investigation. If investigating threats against Mamie Shumberg wouldn't yield the perpetrator, there had to be some avenue he was missing. He needed to talk to Larissa Stevens again. If anyone could give him a window into what had been going on with Mamie, it would be the person who'd spent the better part of her time with her.

Larissa had just come in from a job interview when she met with Sully. "Detective Sullivan, ever since she was killed, I've been trying to think of someone who would hate Mamie enough to do what he did to her. The interview I had just now gave me an idea. Her cousin suggested that I look for a job with an up and coming politician's wife. She took a phone call while I was there. She asked me to leave the room, but she got pretty loud and I could still hear some of what she said. She was complaining about someone on Comedy Center who was making fun of her husband. She was so angry that her face was still red when she was off the call. Mamie made fun of a lot of politicians. I was wondering if one of them might want to get back at her. I can make you a list."

"I'd appreciate that," Sully responded. If not being able to take a joke was a motive for murder, he'd never run into it before, but at that moment, he had nothing better.

* * *

"Have you heard from Martha?" Kate asked, as she and Rick caught a simultaneous morning break.

Castle grinned. "I have. She sent me a detailed email outlining the green that appeared in your father's eyes when he realized Lance Hastings was on the ship and would be working with her. I could almost see the self-satisfaction on her face."

"I can remember him reacting that way when an old boyfriend of my mother's showed up in New York. It surprised me. I think it surprised my mother too, but she didn't react the way Martha did. She thought it was completely uncalled for. I'm sure she was right. I never saw her show any interest in any man except Dad, and the same with him, until Martha, and even that took years. That was the kind of marriage I always wanted."

"I hope it's the kind we have. Kate, I'm not blind. I can see a pretty face or a nice pair of boobs, but I would never want to be with anyone but you."

Kate reached for his hand. "Same here - without the boobs part. It just took us longer to get there. It's wonderful that my father has been able to find love like that twice."

Castle clasped her hand in both of his. "I'm just glad my mother was finally able to find it once. Hey, speaking of finds, have you seen what Lily's into now? Filk. You know, music based on scifi. She was watching some on Youtube when I looked in on her last night. The song was about that Whedon show. She was singing along."

"Not surprising, Babe. You still have your space cowboy costume in the back of your closet, but I think you'll have to get the pants let out if you ever want to wear it again."

Castle's eyes widened in mock offense. "I will have you know, those pants were always tight. They were supposed to be."

"Well if you want to be able to eat or breathe in them, you still might want to consider an adjustment," Kate suggested. "I guess Lily's getting herself into the mood to go to the con where you said she could see Colson Jennings again."

"I just hope it happens," Castle said. "I haven't received any cancellation notices yet, but with the hard time Jennings is having, discretion may be the better part of valor. Sometimes stars cancel at the last minute."

"Well I hope he doesn't. I think she has her heart set on seeing him again, even more than she did on getting in to the pre-college program at Juillard."

"For which her enthusiasm continues to wane," Rick noted. "My guess is that next year may be her last. She's drifting away from classical music into more mainstream genres. Who knows? Reese and Jake may end up making animated films with Lily scoring them. You have to admit, that would be cool. Ooh, maybe if there's a movie of Star Train someday, she could write the music."

"Hold on there cowboy. I know you're having a great time, but don't you think you should see if the stories sell first, before worrying about a movie deal? And remember what happened with the Nikki Heat movie. Not exactly your finest moment."

"True," Castle agreed, "but the studio exec who screwed it up, unmasked by my superior detection skills, did turn out to be a murderer. So there was an element of karma. Besides, with a project featuring Castle art, Castle writing, and Castle music, what could go wrong?"

Kate just rolled her eyes.


	185. Chapter 185

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 185

"That tin despot in the Caribbean announced he's doing another missile test," Castle noted as he scanned through the morning news on his tablet.

"He hasn't been able to get one off the ground yet, and our intelligence agencies say he doesn't have any workable warheads anyway. He's just a demented man child playing with toys," Kate opined. "He's trying to get Lindsey Teal's goat. She's not about to give any concessions to a man who oppresses his people the way he does."

"As perhaps a slightly less demented man child, I can tell you that even we succeed occasionally. He's managed to assassinate or banish most of his own scientists, but there are hired guns out there. I found that out in my research on CIA operations. One of these days he might get something to work."

"Castle, even if he does, we can shoot it down. It will just crash in the ocean."

"Yeah, and probably take out some sweet pod of porpoises just minding their own business." Castle speculated.

"Castle," Kate soothed. "I think Flipper is safe for a while."

"I hope so," Castle grumbled.

* * *

As the rocket housing perforated, air reached the hydrazine fuel inside, reacting violently. A shock wave spread as the missile hit the water, rocking the Queen of the Sea. "What the hell!" Lance Hastings cursed, trying to stay erect in the awkward high heeled shoes that were part of his sixteenth century costume. He stumbled against the other members of the cast, creating a chain reaction and knocking everyone, including Martha, to the floor of the stage. Throughout the ship, passengers and crew alike fell to the deck.

Jim Beckett, who had managed to stay in his chair, made his way to the stage as quickly as he could, to check on his wife. "Damn it!" Martha exclaimed through a clenched jaw. "After all the years I thought those 'I've fallen and I can't get up' commercials were ridiculous! Jim, I don't think I can get up."

Martha was far from the only one on the ship who had suffered an injury. Much of the ships complement had sustained traumas, including multiple fractures, varying in severity. The ship's doctor and his assistant, were overwhelmed, and an urgent call went out for medical assistance.

* * *

Lindsey Teal's eyes flashed at the Secretary of Defense. "They had to shoot the damn thing down near a cruise ship?"

"From what the commander of that flight wing reported, if our fighters had waited any longer, it would have been out of range. It might have hit Jamaica. We didn't know for a hundred percent there was no warhead on board. Our intelligence has been wrong before. It had to be knocked out of the sky. There were no fatalities, Madam President. It was a good result, the best we could achieve."

"I doubt that the passengers aboard that ship would agree," Lindsey retorted. "And that ship has foreign registry. The line has filed a protest with the State Department. We need to clean up this mess as fast as we can. So what are we doing to help the injured?"

"There's a hospital ship on its way, with complete surgical facilities, but it will still take several hours to arrive. In the meantime, we've airlifted in medical personnel and supplies."

"Alright," Lindsey accepted grudgingly, "If that's the best we can do."

"It is," the secretary assured her.

* * *

Jake had insisted on accompanying Mai to Mina Van Owen's office for an update, and she hadn't protested too strongly. "We've obtained the video from the subway," Mina explained, "but it doesn't show what happened. It was focused closer to the edge of the platform. The testimony of Baas' victim, Nina Sturbridge, is all in Mai's favor but the Baas family has been busy. They have bots working on social media, attacking Nina's reputation and Mai's. If this gets beyond a judge, they may have thoroughly polluted the jury pool. The Baas family is pushing hard to paint Nick as the victim, and with the influence they have in this city, this matter may well to go to trial."

"What do we know about Nick Baas?" Jake asked.

"Not much." Mina admitted. "The family has bailed him out of several failed ventures. He doesn't have an arrest record other than for Nina's assault, and the family has a PR firm churning out testimonials about what a great guy he is and what a miscarriage of justice his arrest was. They seemed to have had their apparatus primed and ready to go. If I would have to guess, I'd say they've covered up for him before and may have written some big checks to do it. But if they did, they'd have shells within shells where they could disguise the transactions. Even if we can manage to make our way through a morass like that, it will take time and resources I'm not sure we have."

"Can you delay the hearing?" Jake asked.

"I can try," Mina replied.

"Jake," Mai warned, putting a hand on his arm.

He turned to her. "Look Mai, you are incredible, maybe the best, at what you do. Digging up evidence on scumbags like Nick Baas is what I do, and what Reese and everyone at RCI does. For once, damn it, let someone help you! If there's a way to expose him for what he is, we can find it."

Mai turned to him, held by the intensity in her lover's eyes. She brushed her fingertips across his cheek. "Alright Jake, see what you can do."

* * *

Sully paged through the files his team had assembled from the names Larissa Stevens had given him. There were some heavy hitters. Mamie had made quite a career of insulting the reins of power. He couldn't imagine that it would have touched most of them who were steady targets of almost every comedian on late night TV, online magazines, and bloggers, but there was one with a different profile. Parker Sage had toiled for years behind the scenes, raising funds and currying favors for rising political stars. That had changed in 2028, when he'd sought a congressional seat of his own. His election should have been a lock. It was in what his party considered a safe district, one so gerrymandered that running against him should have been an exercise in futility - until he became Mamie Shumberg's target. She had picked on him in every imaginable way, from the hair transplants to disguise his balding pate, to the models engaged for an evening to decorate his arm at political functions. He'd accomplished the nearly impossible and lost the election.

After that failure, Parker had suffered a precipitous fall from grace. Rather than acting as the power behind various thrones, he'd been reduced to a glorified gofer. Sully reread the file and regarded the watery blue eyes in the doughy pale face staring from the man's photograph. To refresh his memory, he unearthed the Kasparov profiles from beneath the stacks and clutter on his desk. The last unidentified DNA came from a man with blue eyes, white skin, and pattern baldness. It also indicated attached earlobes and eyes unattractively close to the nose. It all fit. Sully needed to talk to Parker Sage. He needed to talk to him yesterday.


	186. Chapter 186

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 186

"How's Martha doing?" Kate asked.

"Your dad said she had surgery to set a broken femur," Castle relayed. "She'll be flown back to New York and be in a rehab facility, as soon as the doctors are sure there aren't any complications. Jim is taking his fury out on Lance Hastings. He sees him as responsible for her fall. Apparently Hastings only ended up with a sprained ankle. Your dad muttered something about a blowhard being cushioned by his own bulk. He'll be flying back with her and helping to get her settled. He'll call me as soon as I can see her. It will be a while before she can tread the boards again."

"Knowing Martha, I'm sure it will be sooner than anyone expects," Kate offered. "I am worried about Dad being alone. Once he's back, I want get over there every day to check in on him. I want to take Lily with me when I can, too. She's always good for his outlook."

"And vice versa," Castle observed. "Does Jim have one of those watches that sends out an alarm if anything goes wrong with him?"

"He wore one after his stroke, but ditched it about the same time he ditched his cane," Kate explained. "It would not be a bad idea for him to start wearing one again, if I can talk him into it."

"If Lily is with you, I can almost guarantee he won't say no," Castle declared. "What man can resist the earnest eyes of his granddaughter?"

"And speaking of granddaughters," Kate said, "how is Elizabeth coming along?"

"From what Alexis tells me, according to her pediatrician, Elizabeth is doing just fine," Castle reported. "I've been more worried about Alexis, but she seems to be relaxing a little bit. I think focusing on the dealings of the family of that asshole who's suing Mai, is helping her get back to normal."

"Let's hope Alexis can help Mai get back to normal. She is an impressive woman. I've visited her studio a couple of times. She showed me a couple of moves I didn't know."

Castle whistled. "Now that is impressive."

* * *

Parker Sage wasn't worried. There was absolutely no way the pudgy detective could connect him with Mamie Shumberg. He had burned every scrap of clothing he'd worn that night and unfortunately also his best Italian shoes. He knew there had been no cameras and no witnesses, or the police would have come after him long before this. His DNA wasn't on record anywhere, he'd made sure of that, and no way was he going to allow the cops to get a sample. The detective was just stumbling around in the dark. Parker could just smile and answer his questions. He'd put together a great story. He wouldn't even call his lawyer. That would just make him look guilty.

Sully eyed Sage, mentally ticking off the elements of Sergei's report. They were all there, right down to where the hair was on his knuckles. Sage was his guy. He just had to trip him up somehow. He set his face in his most innocuous look. "Mr. Sage, did you know Mamie Shumberg?"

"Detective Sullivan, I certainly knew of Mamie Shumberg," Sage readily admitted. "You would have to be living in a cave not to know that I was her favorite target for her questionable humor. I never had the occasion to meet her face to face. I can't say that I would have wanted to."

Sully nodded sympathetically. "I understand, Mr. Sage. I have heard some of those jokes. Pretty mean. I can understand why you wouldn't have wanted to have anything to do with her. However, this is a murder investigation and I have to dot all my 'i's' and cross all my 't's.' So I have to ask, where were you on the night of the murder? I'm sure you heard it announced on the news the next morning."

"To tell you the truth, Detective, I didn't," Sage asserted. "I had a migraine that night, my medication wasn't working, and any light or noise just made things worse. I was lying in the dark for almost twenty-four hours, when I wasn't puking my guts out. And when I finally did get up, turning on the news was the last thing I cared about, so it was probably twenty-four hours, at least, before I heard anything about her death."

"Is there anyone who confirm your whereabouts?" Sully asked.

"Detective, I wasn't in any shape for company, so no."

"I understand," Sully acknowledged. "Alright, Mr. Sage, that's all I needed. Thank you for coming in."

"Glad I could clear things up for you, Detective," Sage responded, as Sully ushered him out.

"That was one convenient migraine," Sully commented to L.T., who'd been watching from observation. "Set up a canvass around Sage's apartment and pull any video you can find. Don't forget to check the traffic cams for his plates. Pull in as many people as you need. If we can find any evidence that he wasn't in his apartment during the kill zone, we've got him in a lie and we can go from there."

"You got it, boss."

* * *

Eva checked her temperature. She'd read that it usually took at least three months to get pregnant when going off the pill, sometimes a lot more, but there were also women who got pregnant when they missed one, or even when they were on it, so anything was possible. Not that she and Reese needed any excuse to make love. She couldn't imagine how she'd existed so long without spending the night in his arms, but knowing they might make a baby would make it extra special. She also knew he could use something to think about besides Mai's problem. Everyone at RCI had pitched in to try and penetrate the walls around the Baas family, she'd even done what she could. She had good eyes for scanning through financial reports for questionable expenditures. She also made good coffee. Alexis thought they were making progress, although Jake was worried they were running out of time. He said Mai's lawyer had delayed the hearing once, but she wasn't sure she could do it again.

Kevin Ryan had turned up something just that afternoon. He had been scanning through old images of Nick Baas. As a member of an influential family that enjoyed being known for its charity work, Nick was photographed on the red carpet at big money events. He always had a woman with him, but a different one each time. Javi had snorted at the pictures Kevin showed him, referring to the women as arm candy. Alexis was tracking down as many of the women as she could and all the detectives at RCI would be trying to talk to them, to find out if Nick Baas had tried to hurt them in any way. After her own experience, the whole idea gave Eva the shivers, but it had to be done. Alexis had pointed out that if they could expose a pattern of behavior for Nick, it would not only help Mai in court, it would protect any future victims. Eva was all for that. As much as she wished that Reese would make it home as quickly as possible, she was hoping that he and the rest of the detectives at RCI would be able to nail Baas, once and for all.

A/N I know that alerts for chapter postings haven't been making it to your mailboxes and that my header isn't updating, but look for updates every morning. Barring an unforeseen catastrophe, I'll be posting as usual. I have contacted support at the site to let them know about the glitch. I'm hoping they can fix it ASAP.


	187. Chapter 187

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 187

L.T.'s long strides took him quickly to Sully. "We got him! Traffic cam picked him up a few blocks from his apartment and we traced his drive all the way to within a block of the murder scene."

"Within our time line?" Sully asked, dropping his bagel on a stack of papers.

"Right in the zone!" L.T. replied, a smile splitting his face.

Sully pounded his fist on his desk, upsetting a pile of folders. "Yes! With that, his motive, and his match with the DNA profile, we should at least be able to get a warrant to search his car. Want to bet Kasparov can find some of Mamie's DNA in there?"

Still smiling, L.T. shook his head. "I wouldn't take that bet."

* * *

I want to stay with Grandpa until Grandma gets home," Lily announced. "He needs someone to keep him company so he won't worry all the time."

"That's a wonderful thought, Sweetheart," Castle said, "but what about school?"

"Lagi said summer is optional, or if I want, I can keep up with my assignments on my computer," Lily responded, "and I can help Grandpa too. I can make breakfast and go to the store and remind him to take his pills. Grandma was always doing that. And I can go with him when he goes to see Grandma. I'm really good at whistling for taxis." Lily let out a shrill blast. "See?"

Kate and Rick looked at each other. "Lily, your father and I will have to discuss this," Kate said. "Why don't you go practice, and we'll come talk to you in a little while."

"Castle, it might be a good idea," Kate suggested, when the notes of Lily's piano could be heard. "I know Dad. When he's upset he forgets to eat. He won't if Lily's there. And if he's tempted to look for comfort in a bottle, he won't do that if Lily's there either. Martha's piano is in the apartment. Lily can practice and compose on it."

"And if anything happens, Lily can call 911," Castle offered.

Kate nodded. "It would be better than just counting on the emergency alert watch. We can still check in on him - and Lily - but I think it would be good for both of them. If it isn't, we can always bring her home."

"If that's what you think, I'm behind you," Castle agreed.

* * *

"Yeah, I went to some high class charity thing with that asshole Nick Baas," Crystal Chime told Jake. "He tried for more than he paid for. I don't do that anyway. I don't need to. I just look the way I look and smile at the camera. Anyway when I said no, the bastard tried to get physical. I had bruises for weeks. Anyway, I slammed my knee you know where and told him that I was going to call the cops, but he said if I did, he'd have me arrested for solicitation and assault."

"Would you be willing to make a deposition to that effect?" Jake asked.

"Hell yes!" Crystal exclaimed. "As far as I'm concerned, that woman who took him down in the subway, is a hero. I talked to some of the other girls. He tried to make moves on them and threatened them too."

"Do you have contact info for those other women?" Jake queried.

"No, but there's a bar where we hang," Crystal replied. "I'll take you and introduce you around."

* * *

Sully stared across the table at Parker Sage. This time his face was anything but friendly. "Mr Sage, you lied to me. You told me that you didn't leave your apartment the night Mamie Shumberg was killed. I fact you did. You took a drive. A drive that put you near the murder scene."

"Detective, I told you I had a migraine. Sometimes air will help clear my head. Unfortunately, that night it didn't."

"Mr. Sage, my wife has migraines, and when she feels one coming on, the last thing she'd do would be to get behind the wheel of a car, especially at night. If the aura didn't block her vision, the oncoming headlights would blind her. Maybe yours are different, but then there's the matter of the blood. There's blood on the driver's side mat of your car, Mr. Sage. The DNA is being run as we speak. Would you like to bet that it belongs to Mamie Shumberg? That it got on your shoes when you killed and raped her?"

Sage's pale skin lost even more color. "I want a lawyer."

Sully nodded. "That's probably the first honest thing you've said."

* * *

Colson Jennings read quickly through the story prominently featured on the tablet Carrie handed him. "So Mamie Shumberg was killed by that political hack!"

"And you're cleared," Carrie exclaimed enthusiastically. "Twitter is exploding with victory tweets from your fans. You really ought to tweet something to them. We need to put something on your Facebook page too. The press from all over the world is already calling for interviews. They want to know how you feel."

"How I feel," Colson repeated. "Mamie is still dead. Parker Sage can go to jail or burn in Hell - he should. But it won't change anything. I'll put something out for the fans, but no press. Mamie's death has been enough of a circus, I'm not stepping into center ring."

Carrie shrugged. "If that's what you want."

"Is is." Colson confirmed. "I'll do the posting myself, but I need you to help me."

* * *

Lily looked at the Colson Jennings alert that had come up on the new phone Daddy had given her, so she could stay in touch while she was with Grandpa. There was nothing wrong with her old one, but Daddy said this one was faster, and it was purple. She already knew Colson was innocent. She'd known it in her heart all along, but it had been nice hearing the reporter announce it, when she was watching the news with Grandpa. She didn't always get why Grandpa bothered with TV news. The stories were always on the internet first, but he said he liked to watch the news to get the baseball highlights and she knew how much he liked baseball. She'd looked at some of the books he had about the game. Some of the stories about the players were interesting, but she still thought the game was boring. It didn't matter. Baseball made Grandpa happy. When she'd had a chance to talk to Grandma about it, she'd said it bored her too, but Grandpa didn't find the theater fascinating either. He went because she liked it. Grandma explained that when people loved each other, they didn't have to like everything the other one liked, just respect and support their right to like it. Grandma whispered that it had taken her years to learn that. It made sense. Mama and Daddy were like that too. Sometimes Daddy would watch old Nebula Nines with Mama, because she liked them. Sometimes Mama would watch old Lance DeLorca movies with him, because he liked them. And they both helped her see Colson Jennings, even if they didn't think he was beautiful, the way she did. She swiped on the alert. It linked to a picture of Colson holding up a sign that said, "Thank you for believing. I love you."

Lily kissed her finger and touched it to the screen. I love you too, Colson," she whispered, then captured the image and sent it to Grandpa's printer, so she could hang it over her bed in the guest room. She could kiss it good night before she fell asleep.


	188. Chapter 188

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 188

The bar was surprisingly nice. The chairs and tables were widely enough spaced to allow comfortable seating. The wood was clean and held a high polish. Music was playing, but not so loudly as to interfere with conversation, and beautiful women chatted over their drinks. Crystal led Jake to a table where four of the women sat, sipping sparkling water and sharing a veggie tray. "This is Jake, he's a detective trying to help Mai Warner, the woman who got that jerk, Nick Baas, off of Nina."

One of the women at the table nodded for Crystal and Jake to take a seat. "I will be straight with you ladies," Jake explained. "I am a detective, but that's not why I care about this case. Mai is my girlfriend and I want to put Baas in a hole for what he's doing to her."

"Sorry to hear you're not on the market," the green eyed redhead sitting across from Jake commented, her eyes assessing his muscular frame. "I'm Rhys, by the way." She waved a hand around the table. "This is Bree, Sherry, and Tess, and I think we'd all love to see you shovel dirt over his smug face. So how can we help you?"

"Crystal tells me that Baas made a regular habit of hitting on and trying to assault women who accompanied him to events," Jake explained. "If he did that to any of you, or anyone you know, I need to get that on the record." The women gazed at Jake and Crystal. Perfectly manicured nails clicked against the table. "Look," Jake continued. "I work with Richard Castle investigations. We have very good connections with the N.Y.P.D., all the way to the top. We won't let anyone hassle you or accuse any of you of anything. We just need your stories. Mai needs them."

"Richard Castle the author?" the blond haired Tess asked. Jake nodded. "I just love his books, especially the one about the boy who couldn't talk. I had a good cry with that one. Castle's wife was a cop, right?"

"She was," Jake agreed, "and she still has friends in the department. There are three ex-cops at RCI who have friends there too. They're all working on this. Believe me, the only thing they want, is to get to the truth."

Nods were exchanged around the table. "He did it to all of us," Rhys admitted. "So if we tell our stories, how will all that work?"

Jake pulled out his phone. "I'm going to call Mai's lawyer right now, and she'll take you all through it."

* * *

Jim Beckett looked up from the thick file he was reading, when Lily let Kate in the door of the Beckett-Rodgers apartment. "I wish I'd been here to get involved with this case from the start. This Nick Bass is a piece of work, a nasty one. I would have convinced the firm to take the case pro bono. I assume that is what RCI is doing. Men like Nick Baas don't even deserve the appellation."

"Everyone at RCI has been pitching in," Kate confirmed. "From everything I've heard, I'd guess the judge would rule in Mai's favor, but you know a lot more about this kind of suit than I do. What do you think?"

"Where the kind of money and power the Baas family has, is concerned, you can't be sure what a judge will do. But the law is definitely on Mai Warner's side, Katie. Unless the Baases have been filling the judge's campaign coffers, she should prevail. I'll say a prayer for her when I say one for Martha."

"Rick and I went to see Martha yesterday," Kate related. "She was about ready to tear her way out of that place."

Jim laughed. "I know. The staff thinks that's a good thing. They told me that the most determined patients make the best recoveries, and no one is more determined than Martha. If anything, they have to keep her from pushing herself too hard."

"Mm, Rick calls her hurricane Martha." Kate regarded her daughter, who had resumed working on a lap top, not far from where Jim was sitting. "How's your schoolwork going, Lily?"

"Fine," Lily answered not looking up.

"Daddy said if you need anything from the house, he can bring it over later," Kate persisted.

Lily stopped typing. "Can he bring my melodica? That would be easy to take to Upwards and Onwards. I wouldn't have to worry about batteries or plugging it in, and I want to play a song I wrote for Grandma."

"I'll let him know," Kate assured her. "Anything else you want?"

Lily's eyes returned to her screen. "No thank you, Mama."

* * *

Kate returned to the Castle castle not long after Rick had provided Reese and Jake with their post school snack. Castle nodded toward his office and closed the door as soon as he'd ushered Kate inside. "You've got those lines on your forehead again. Cute, but troubling. What's wrong?"

"Something's bothering Lily and I can't figure out what it is," Kate shared.

"I think I might have a clue," Castle mused. "Before she went to stay with your dad, she couldn't stop asking me about our trip to see Colson Jennings. Lately she hasn't said a word. I suspect that if Mother isn't home from rehab in time, Lily will think she's doing the noble thing and decide not to go."

"She should go," Kate said. "I'm sure Dad would tell her the same thing. Listen, the boys will be with you. If Martha isn't back, or isn't getting around well enough, I can stay with Dad while you're gone. It's just a weekend. I won't need to be in court. Dad and I can go to a baseball game together. We haven't done that in a while. It'll be fun."

"Weekend amusements for the whole family," Castle noted. "Sounds like a plan. I'll be dropping in on Lily after dinner, but I think you should be the one to suggest it."

"I will," Kate agreed. "Oh and she wanted you to bring her melodica so she can play a song for Martha."

"That's the fourth one of her instruments she's asked for. I'll take it to her. I have to wonder what she's going to want to take to the con."

"I don't know," Kate replied, "but I hope, for your sake, Jake doesn't want to take a drum."

"Just do me a favor," Castle urged. "do not even mention the possibility."

"What possibility?" Kate asked innocently. "I don't even remember what we were talking about."

Castle leaned in for a quick kiss. "And that is just another reason why I love you."

* * *

Eva studied the instructions on the boxes in the drug store. Was it too soon? She was only two days late and she'd read that things change when you go off the pill, but she had a feeling. She wasn't sick or anything, but she felt different. It could just be her imagination. She wanted something to happen, especially since Reese was around more, with things looking better for Mai. Each test proclaimed it could make the determination soonest, but the instructions and legalese were all about the same. A white coated motherly looking woman with pharmacist embroidered on her pocket came down the aisle toward her. "You look confused. Can I help?"

Eva turned to her with a hesitant smile. "I hope so."


	189. Chapter 189

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 189

Eva reread the instructions for the fifth time. The pharmacist had told her that morning would be the best time to run the test and the box said the same thing. Between thinking about the test and working on a paper, she'd been up late and had slept in. She'd roused slightly when Reese kissed her good bye, but had drifted back into a movie-like dream. In it, she and Reese were walking in the park and she was pushing a baby stroller. The sun had been shining and there were sounds of children's voices all around. Like a dream within a dream, she could see her child growing up strong and happy, to join the others as they raced across the grass. She hadn't wanted to leave the scene and wake up, but the sounds of heavy equipment fixing the street outside had made continued slumber impossible. She also really needed to pee, which made it the perfect time to perform the test. The two minutes she had to wait, seemed like two decades, but the answer was clear. Her body hadn't lied to her. She was pregnant. She couldn't wait to call Reese.

* * *

Martha clapped her hands enthusiastically. "That's just lovely, Darling. Very inspiring. I may walk my way out of here on the wings of your song."

"Martha," Jim reminded her, "remember what your physical therapist said. The exercises she gives you are already taking you to the limit. If you try to go over it, you could set yourself back."

Martha sighed and waved her hand dismissively. "Honestly Jim, I have never met a woman that young who is such a fuddy duddy. Martha Rodgers is all about pushing limits. I always have been."

"Then just this once, don't be, for the peace of mind of this older fuddy duddy," Jim urged.

"Please Grandma," Lily pleaded, "I don't want you to hurt yourself again."

Martha threw up her hands. "Obviously I'm outmaneuvered and outvoted. I will behave, but I'm still making it out of here as fast as is humanly possible."

"I would never expect anything else," Jim declared.

* * *

As she waited for court to convene, Mina Van Owen re-examined her file. There were depositions from five different women claiming behavior from Nick Baas, similar to that he had shown to Nina Sturbridge. There were also records of mysterious payments from Baas business interests to a number of other women. Further checks had turned up depositions that had been given, but the actions withdrawn. She could presume that the women had been paid to keep their mouths shut, but there was no smoking gun and none of them had been willing to talk about it. Their silence was unfortunate, but the five she had were more than enough to indicate a pattern.

Judge Edwards was on the bench. Mina had no idea what to expect from him. He was in the middle of a fourteen year term, so he shouldn't be subject to re-election pressures, or need campaign contributions from the Baases or their friends. His rulings had been all over the map. There was no streak of misogyny that Mina could detect, in fact, his wife was a judge as well and by all accounts he was proud of her. He was, however, known for his skepticism, most especially from plaintiffs requesting money from defendants with deep pockets. If anything, the case here was the reverse. The plaintiff had deep pockets and had probably expected that the defendant would have insufficient resources to fight the suit.

Nick Baas and his family had not counted on the intervention of RCI. Mina had employed detectives in the past, but she had never seen an agency work as hard or as fast, especially when they could not expect to see a dime. Mina had some thoughts about that. If Judge Edwards saw things Mai Warner's way, then Mai could file a counter suit. The Baases would know they would lose, and would be forced to offer a settlement that would make the effort financially worthwhile to everyone involved. But first things first. Nick Baas and his family would have to be taken down a peg legally, even if she would have rather done it by putting the three inch heel of her pump into Nick Baas' smug face.

Court was called to order with the bailiff making the usual pronouncements. Jason Arco, Nick Baas' sartorially perfect lawyer, made his statement to Judge Edwards, and Mina made hers. Edwards announced that he had examined the petitions and the supporting evidence, but would retire to his chambers to consider their arguments. They would be called in when he was ready to rule.

Mina didn't like it. She had been hoping for an immediate summary judgment, but it was possible that Edwards was just covering his own ass in case Nick Bass appealed. He would not have wanted to seem less than thorough. Perhaps that was a good thing. She and Mai and Jake went down to the restaurant on the ground floor of the courthouse to wait. Mina desperately needed a cup of coffee and a distraction.

Jake was as anxious for coffee as Mina was, Mai wanted tea, but winced at the popular brand of teabag that had been provided, muttering about floor sweepings. She pulled her own teabag from her purse, to steep in the barely past tepid water. The minutes ticked by, stretching to an hour, before a text appeared on Mina's phone. Judge Edwards was ready to rule.

"I have had more suits pass through my court room than I care to remember," Edwards remarked, "but I have rarely seen one as craven as this. Mr. Baas, this is not merely a matter of a civil suit. You engaged in criminal behavior. That has already been established in the case of Nina Sturbridge, in which Ms. Warner intervened. I have reviewed Ms. Warner's history, and have come to the conclusion that she could have done you considerably more damage than she did. If anything, in coming to the defense of another, she showed considerable restraint. Moreover, you have been unable to demonstrate that you have suffered any lasting effects, therefore I am not awarding you any damages. Furthermore, in light of what has been revealed here, I believe that further criminal charges against you could be brought. I have notified the D.A.'s office and instructed my bailiff to have you held, until the D.A. has rendered an opinion on that matter. Ms. Warner, the court is personally sorry for any distress these proceedings may have caused you and I am ordering that Mr. Baas should pay any costs that have been incurred in your defense." Edwards banged his gavel.

Mai's eyes were wide with disbelief even as Jake picked her up to twirl her around in triumph, and Nick Baas was led away by the bailiff. "This may not be the end of it," Mina cautioned. "The Baases may very well fight Edwards' decision, but if the D.A. decides to prefer further charges against Baas, I doubt that they'll find a judge to disagree with Edwards' ruling." She gathered up her papers. "I will leave you two to celebrate the moment."

"I should call RCI and let them know what happened," Jake said as Mina left them, "but then what would you like to do? We have a few hours before evening classes start at your studio. Are you in the mood for lunch? You've barely been eating the past couple days."

Mai ran a fingertip down the smooth silk of the tie he had worn for court. "We can think about food later, but right now I have something else in mind."


	190. Chapter 190

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 190

Dreams

The twins were happily ensconced in Comix College for Kids and Lily stood nervously next to her father waiting for her turn for a photo op with Colson Jennings. With her VIP pass, the line was short and moving quickly, making her even more nervous as she got closer. She would have liked to hold Daddy's hand, but dreaded appearing immature to Colson. Mama had taken her place, staying with Grandpa while Lily was gone, but before Lily had left, she'd asked for advice on what to wear. She didn't want to wear a costume like her brothers. She just wanted to be even prettier for Colson than she had been the last time. Mama had assured her that she would. Her hair had grown out a little from her makeover, but still suited her face, and Mama had made sure that she could use her new lipstick perfectly. The dress was new too. It even had darts to allow for the bustline that was beginning to appear, for which Mama had helped her choose a pretty, lacy, bra.

She was almost there, with only two more people in front of her. Daddy said photo ops only took a few seconds, but she'd have more time later, when she had the picture signed. The seconds were very short and very long. Colson Jennings smiled at her and held out his hand. Colson knelt on one knee and put an arm around her shoulders, while the photographer snapped their image. The star waved goodbye and that was all there was, but it was enough. Rick led his daughter away as she floated in a euphoric haze.

* * *

Eva hadn't told anyone about her pregnancy, except for her mother, Alexis, and of course, Reese. From what she read, people often held off making any kind of announcement for the first three months, just in case - she didn't want to think about it. She knew Alexis and Sergei had done that. Still, it was hard not to burst out with the news. Having Elizabeth at RCI, just made her think about it more. She wanted to get cute little baby clothes and pick out baby toys. Getting something for Elizabeth was a handy excuse. Alexis didn't allow anything soft, like a stuffed animal, in the bassinet, and Elizabeth couldn't do much with a toy yet anyway, but Eva had found a mobile with brightly colored animals on it, that played lively music. Sergei had rigged a stand for it that wheeled up to the side of the bassinet, so that Elizabeth could see it and listen to the music it played. Eva could picture Reese doing something like that for their child.

Eva had plenty to do, even on a Saturday, besides dreaming of motherhood. Professor Parker assigned a new paper every week. There were continuing reports at RCI to proofread, and she had begun to make suggestions too, many of which Alexis said were good. Stories were still coming from Mr. Castle as well, although not in the past couple of days. She'd heard he was getting ready to take his children to a convention where they could dress up and have fun. That thought sparked another series of visions of the future. She could see Reese as a warrior, with a little warrior prince or princess. And she would be - what? The scribe who documented the heroic battles? The woman the warrior returned to? The wise woman who raised her children to be brave and strong? She could be all three, with parchment and quill ever tucked into her sturdy leather garments.

She pulled herself back to the paperwork in front of her. Reese and Jake had a new assignment, which had sprung from the investigations into Nick Baas and his family. As new charges had been brought and the story had grown, unauthorized payments from Baas businesses had been exposed. Investors were angry and had formed a consortium that had hired RCI to further investigate the misdoings of the family. Kevin, Javi, and Roselyn were doing much of the investigation, but there was one former employee, Mish Sternberg, who had kept quiet, not because she had been paid, but in fear of reprisals. Reese and Jake were serving as her security, trading off shifts, while she carefully documented what she knew about questionable Baas dealings. Eva was involved as well, going over reports of what Mish said, for typos or anything else that might be questionable. Reese and Jake were trading off nights at Mish's apartment. Eva found that lonely, and awash in pregnancy hormones, she might even have felt a spark of jealousy if Mish wasn't on the high side of sixty, addicted to the Food Channel, and more likely to stuff Reese to death with new recipes, than try to seduce him. Eva appreciated the nights when Reese was home just that much more, and tried her best to get all her work out of the way so they could spend them together.

* * *

The game was just getting underway. Kate and Jim Beckett had good seats made better with stadium cushions. Jim Beckett also had his little notebook, where he kept track of all the statistics. He'd done it as long as Kate could remember, despite the fact that all the numbers were now available at a keystroke or with an app. He enjoyed the feeling of paper and pencil in his hands while he recorded every move the players made.

Kate enjoyed the atmosphere - and the hotdogs. Of all the gourmet meals Castle had put before her over the years, there was still nothing quite like a ballpark hotdog. Of course, over the years, the price had risen to that of a gourmet meal, but it was worth it. She took a healthy bite and washed it down with a bow to something healthier, bottled water. There was a crack as the ball tipped off the bat and flew into the stands, toward the Becketts and into the surprised hands of Jim.

Cheers erupted around him with strangers reaching down to pound him on the back. He flexed his stinging fingers. "Are you are right, Dad?" Kate asked.

"A little shocked," Jim confessed. "I've been coming to ball games for over sixty years and it's the first time I've been close to a foul tip, let alone caught one. I have no idea what to do with it. I'm getting past my collecting days. Lily tries to look interested when I talk about baseball but I know she's just trying to be nice to her Grandpa. And if I give it to the boys..."

"There will be a war," Kate finished.

Jim nodded.

"For now, just enjoy it Dad," Kate counseled. "I sure you'll figure it out."

After the game, Jim and Kate were making their way to Martha's room at Upwards and Onward, when a white bearded man wearing a Yankees cap and a Yankees insignia on his sweater wheeled his walker toward them. "You're Ms Rodgers' fella aren't ya? I'm Gus. I was watching the boys of summer on TV and I saw you on the mega screen. You caught that foul. I've been trying my whole life to get my hands on one of those balls. Never could do it. Probably'll never get a chance now.

Jim regarded the man, at least ten years, if not more, his senior, and visibly fragile. There might very well never be another chance for him. Jim pulled the ball out of his pocket and tucked it into the bag hanging from the front of the walker. "Yes you will. Gus, it's yours."


	191. Chapter 191

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 191

Castle hadn't had a book party this momentous since the night he was approached by Detective Kate Beckett about murders copycatting his stories. This time, she was at his side. Not only was it the debut of two books, his first _Star Train Anthology_ and Sara El-Masri's, _Going On_ , it was the launch of Castle Press itself. The venue for the evening was the Old Haunt, staffed by his best bartenders and scrubbed and polished to perfection. Though not to the level of Castle's personal stash, the bar stock was a cut above the norm, with champagne flowing freely. Rick had hoped that Alexis would be in attendance, if nothing else, to support Sara, but the party was not a place for a baby, or any minor for that matter. With Sergei working an urgent case, Alexis had opted to stay home with Elizabeth. Martha, having finally secured her release from Upwards and Onward, was there, albeit spending most of her time seated. Jim Beckett was with her. While staying clear of any members of the press, Sara's parents had chosen to make an appearance as well.

"So Rick," Paula Haas asked, "what do you think of the turnout?"

Castle surveyed the crowd. He'd seen bigger ones, but not by a huge margin. He had definitely not had one as diverse. There were the usual Castle groupies. He recognized some that had been showing up for decades, and made a personal note to say hello. There were also the sci fi geeks, some of whom had approached him at cons. Then there were Sara's friends and admirers. There was a group who looked to be her colleagues from the museum. The faces of a large contingent of both men and women, displayed expressions more somber than those generally seen on Castle's fans. It was obvious that the preview of Sara's book had struck a serious chord.

The drummer of the band that had been hired for the evening, hit a rim shot, and Paula announced that the authors would now be available for autographs. Castle noted with some disquietude, that the line for Sara's signature was longer than the line for his. Women were no longer clamoring to have their chests signed, although there were a few who wanted his ink on an arm or leg, so it could be tattooed. It was all right, really. His lines at cons stretched down the hall, and as publisher, he would be making a healthy slice of the profit, no matter whose book was published. Still..."

From a seat next to him, Kate put a hand on his arm. "You okay, Babe?"

He forced the brightest smile he could muster. "Of course I am. You're here. I'm surrounded by adoring fans. Even Mother and your dad made it. What could possibly be wrong?"

* * *

Eva snuggled up to Reese. That last of the information on Nick Baas had been gathered and submitted to the D.A.. Mish had been relocated and the Baas family had more serious matters to worry about than taking revenge on one of many former employees with damaging information. The warm body next to Eva could now be there most nights, and she was enjoying its closeness. She didn't have to manage to fit in an expanding belly yet. It was too early to be showing. She'd had a few queasy days, but nothing worth complaining about.

She and Reese had spent part of the evening at the Castle Press launch party, but with having read both books while they were in production, finding Sara's a bit too close to home, and having to stay away from the bar, the party wasn't the place she preferred to be. Reese had been content to leave early, at her request. He'd had too many security gigs at galas, to be swept up in the event. Home was just fine with him.

Jake and Mai had still been there when they'd left. Jake particularly, was in a celebratory mood. Mina had come to the conclusion that the Baases had too much on their plates to try to pursue any further action against Mai. With the exception of Nick, they were trying to stay out of jail. Nick was already there. Pursuant to Judge Edwards' decision, the Baases had been forced to pay all legal fees and reimburse RCI for the expenses incurred in clearing Mai. Jake and Mai could finally get back to doing what they enjoyed most, sparring on the mats in her studio, and wherever else they decided to fall into a clinch. Eva considered the possibility of the couple moving into something more serious than that. She'd broached the subject with Reese, but he'd cautioned her that Jake and Mai, if they were going to consider a next step, would have to do it in their own time. There could be no harm in finding out where things stood between them, Eva imagined. In the time they'd been married, she and Reese still hadn't had guests for dinner. Maybe it was time to start. And if she and Mai had a chance for a heart to heart while the men talked shop, that would be perfect.

* * *

Castle lay on his back in bed, supporting his head on his forearm and staring at the ceiling. Kate had seen that position before. He was upset. As far as she could tell, he had no reason to be. The party had been a success. The reviews of both books, by very different reviewers, had been good, and Castle Press was off to a great start. She pulled herself up and looked down at him. "Talk to me, Babe."

"I'm getting old Kate."

"Only chronologically, Castle, and so am I. I can't believe how fast the kids are growing up. And besides, the alternative to getting older could very easily have been for both of us to have bled out on the floor of the loft. This is better."

"Of course it's better than it would have been if Caleb Brown had killed us, but that's not the point," Castle insisted. "I'm not sexy anymore."

"Meaning that nubile young things are no longer clamoring for you to sign their chests?" Kate guessed.

"No - yes," Castle admitted.

"Rick," Kate counseled, "Everything goes through stages. Right now Lily can't go to sleep without kissing Colson Jennings' picture goodnight. In a few years she probably won't be able to imagine why. Derrick Storm was a pumped up version of you. Jameson Rook was somewhat less idealized, but still a product of your wish fulfillment. Those books were fun, exciting, and titillating, but now you've grown past that. And you have readers that have grown past it too. They may not want you to put your mark on their boobs, but you do put your mark on their hearts and on their minds. That's more lasting, Babe." Kate reached down and inserted her fingers between the buttons on his pajamas. "And it is still very, very, sexy. And so are you."

Castle looked up, studying her. The exquisite face had rounded, the creases flanking her mouth, had deepened. The gray in her hair had been covered during a recent trip to the salon, but there were still a couple of telltale glints of silver in her eyebrows. The gap in the measurement between her waist and hip, had lessened. Still, in his eyes, she was the most exciting woman on earth. Nothing could ever change that. If he was still sexy to her, that was all that really mattered. Plunging his hand into her hair, he pulled her to him until their lips met. To hell with book parties!


	192. Chapter 192

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 192

Sidney Perlmutter was outraged, not an unusual condition for the irascible M.E., but he had more cause than usual. He was next in line to be the director of the lab. He'd been there longer than anyone. His work had always been outstanding. He was always on time and scrupulously accurate. He'd never had a bad review, well, not about his work anyway. His personality had come into question at times, but he hadn't been hired to be nice, at least that wasn't his understanding of the job. Apparently the brass disagreed. They had brought someone in from the outside. If it had been Clark Murray, he could have lived with that. Even Perlmutter had to admit that the man was a living legend. But they'd brought in Evan Starcher, some jerk from Connecticut. He was qualified - theoretically. He'd earned his medical degree at Yale and worked as an M.E. for fifteen years. But that still wasn't nearly as long as Sidney had. And Connecticut? This was New York. There were New York ways of doing things and quirks of the detectives of the N.Y.P.D., that Starcher didn't know or understand. Sidney considered his options. He had more than enough years in to take retirement. There were also independent labs. Some of the forensic pathologists who worked in them earned big bucks as expert witnesses for the defense. But he didn't want to do that. He'd spent the better part of his life helping put the bad guys away. He wasn't going to change teams now. And he wasn't about to be driven out of his lab by some Connecticut Yankee, either. Sidney Perlmutter would stand his ground.

* * *

Eva didn't know why she was nervous. She knew Mai and Jake. Jake was Reese's best friend. Still, it was the first time she and Reese would have guests for dinner, even if it was only a couple of friends. She wanted everything to be perfect. Wedding presents had helped. Her china and flatware were beautiful, almost too beautiful for a casual get-together, but she couldn't resist using them. She'd picked out the tablecloth and matching napkins herself. The napkin rings were probably over the top, but they they looked great. She just hoped the food was up to the level of the table settings.

When she'd first met her, she had half expected Mai to be a vegan, in fitting with the spiritual nature Eva had attributed, mostly from TV and movies, to Asian martial arts. But at Alexis' housewarming, Eva had noticed that Mai was definitely not limited to eating plant products. Although two of Sergei's brothers had provided vegetarian fare, Mai had dived into the meat. When Eva thought about it, there was no real reason to expect Mai to be spiritual. Reese and Jake weren't. Of course they had learned their combat skills in the military. She had no idea where or how, Mai had learned hers. It might make for interesting dinner conversation.

* * *

"Mai," Eva asked, as the diners eagerly attacked slices of Eva's lovingly selected sirloin tip roast," what made you decide to go into the martial arts?"

The air in the room chilled, as Mai and Jake exchanged looks. He started to reach for her hand, but the stiffness of her body warned him off. "You don't have to," he murmured softly.

Eva knew immediately that she'd stepped on a landmine. "I'm so sorry. The last thing I'd ever want to do is invade anyone's privacy, especially a friend's. Please forget I asked."

Mai shook her head. "No. Maybe it's time. Even Jake doesn't know much about my background, and you and Reese are friends. All of you have stood behind me without question. So I should tell you."

Mai wet her suddenly dry throat with a sip of water, before she began. "My mother was from China. She came over here to go to school, and she met my father. He was a good man, not a fighter, at least not in the physical sense, but he always stood up for what he thought was right. My mother was in the US on a student visa and when she graduated, she tried to get a company to sponsor her for an H-1, but she had no luck. She was about to be deported when my father asked her to marry him. It was obvious to me that he loved her and I believe she loved him back, but neither one of them was ready for marriage, in the financial sense. He got a job as an adjunct instructor, which from what I learned later, paid practically nothing. My mother took a job as a lab assistant, which wasn't great money either, but they did their best to make a decent life together. When I came along, it made things just that much harder, but they always made sure I had what I needed, even if it meant shorting themselves. They had one nice thing. My mother loved contests. Maybe she saw it as the path to the American dream, I don't know, but she was always entering them. She got lucky one time, or she thought she did. She won a new car. From what I heard her whispering with my father, the taxes almost killed them, and parking in our neighborhood wasn't easy either, but they both loved it. One weekend when I had a sleepover at a friend's house, they decided to take a drive up North to see the fall colors. They didn't get far. They were were carjacked, and the bastard that stole their car, ran over both of them with it. They died at the scene."

Eva gasped, but Mai continued. "My father had no family and any my mother had, was back in China, so I went into foster care. I was angry, I was past angry. I struck out at everything and everyone, and almost ended up in juvie. I really wanted to know how to kick ass, so I convinced my foster mother to let me sign up for a free class at the "Y." She told me she hoped I'd learn some discipline, but I think she welcomed the time I'd be out of her hair. A little over a year later, my foster mother got sick and I was moved to another home, with a cop, a vice detective, and his wife. He wasn't one of the good cops like Kevin or Javi. He was abusive, to his wife and to me. He screamed and he slapped. One night it got much worse than that. He came in really pissed off and drunk. He had collared a prostitution ring, but the judge called it entrapment and dismissed the case. His captain, a woman, had reprimanded him. He smacked his wife but he wanted to do much more than that to me. I fought him off. I broke his arm and smashed his windpipe. I almost killed him and wouldn't have been sorry if I had. I had a public defender, and while everything was being sorted out, he helped me find an agency that helped me to petition the court for emancipation. Then I worked at any job I could get and used every minute I could, building my skills and my savings, until I could swing a studio of my own. After that, I met Jake. The rest you know."

Eva gazed at a woman with whom she had more in common than she could have imagined. They had both pulled themselves up from the depths, and they were both works in progress. Now neither one of them had to do it alone. Their eyes met, with the look of understanding and hope.

A/N Guests, I'm pegging Kate at around 49, not the age Stana would be, but in Rise, which aired in 2011, Josh said she was 31, so I'm going from there. The show made Kate younger than Stana and Rick older than Nathan, at least according to the Wiki. I do not believe that Castle's age was ever explicitly stated on the show itself, so suit yourselves. I did not mean that Kate's waist moved, merely that it wasn't as slim, which would would produce less of a gap between waist and hip measurements. Sorry if I confused you.


	193. Chapter 193

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 193

Sully gazed down at the body, "Hey isn't that Evan Starcher, your new lab director?"

"It sure is," Lanie confirmed.

"He looks like someone carved him up. No Thanksgiving for him, right?" Sully noted. "Do you have a COD?"

"I'll have to get him back to the lab to be sure, but there was blunt force trauma to the back of the head. That either killed him or knocked him out. Then someone excised his heart. It he wasn't dead before then, that would have done it."

"You don't sound too heartbroken about your boss biting the dust," Sully observed.

"Sully, it's always a shame to lose a colleague, but honestly I didn't know the man. We had one of those organizational meetings where he introduced himself, and he was nice enough, but after that he was just initials on paperwork. We never had a conversation. If it weren't for the wedding ring, I wouldn't even know he was married," Lanie confided.

"I see he's still wearing it," Sully noted. "Did he have a wallet on him?"

Lanie nodded. "And keys and phone."

"So the motive obviously wasn't robbery, except for the missing organ," Sully concluded. "Was it surgically done? Could someone have stolen it for a transplant?"

"It's possible," Lanie acknowledged. "The cuts appear to have been made by a scalpel and by someone with surgical skills, but taking it for a transplant wouldn't be likely. In the past few years, most new organs have been grown from a person's own stem cells, to avoid rejection. That might not be done if it would produce a heart with a congenital defect of some kind, but even then, cells in a matrix could be used to print one without the imperfection. For the most part, donor transplants are going the way of the VHS player."

Sully gave a hearty laugh. "So, we need to find a murderer who knows how to use a scalpel and hated Starcher enough to cut his heart out," he concluded.

"Looks like it," Lanie agreed.

* * *

Despite the time of year, Sergei had a ravaging flu, as did several members of his family. The nasty bug had been going around the Russian-American community. Bernard was staying with the Ryans, and Sergei was staying with his brother, away from Alexis and Elizabeth until he was no longer contagious, but Alexis still suspected that she had been exposed. It could come on any minute, like a semi hitting a Mini Cooper, and the last thing in the world that she and Sergei wanted, would be to pass it on to the baby. She could wash her hands a hundred times a day, but she knew it would insure nothing. She needed to have Elizabeth somewhere safe, and the safest place she could think of was with her father and Kate. That would mean having the talk that she'd been putting off so long, about the baby. She was pretty sure her dad knew anyway. He still didn't miss much, especially where she and her sister and brothers were concerned. She wouldn't be surprised if Kate had caught on either. But but the words needed to be said and acid rose in her throat as they formed in her mind.

Alexis packed up as much breast milk as she'd been able to express, as well as the formula her pediatrician had suggested for emergencies. Elizabeth had almost outgrown her bassinet, but it would hold the baby through a stay with her grandparents. Dad and Kate could keep the infant within arms' reach, and she'd show them how to link the alarm to their phones and other electronics. She and Sergei hadn't had to cope with an alarm yet. There was no reason to expect the grandparents would. Everything would be fine. She just had to keep telling herself that.

Castle had been away from baby care long enough to have pushed the most frustrating elements of it to the back of his mind. He was surprised but delighted when Alexis asked him and Kate to step in. Kate was spending a lot of time at FTC and in court, so the job would fall mostly on him during the day, but that was a flashback, and not an unpleasant one, to when Alexis was a baby. The responsibility Alexis was entrusting to him and to Kate, had an additional complication, but it was nothing that either of them hadn't suspected, or for that matter, worried about before. Castle couldn't even begin to count the number of times he and Kate had checked on their sleeping children - just to be sure. He still did it.

Elizabeth seemed to be happy enough, if that could be said about anyone who was hungry and loudly let it be known, every three hours. She waved her arms and feet when Lily played, and tightly wrapped her tiny fingers around Castle's large one. When he ran out of breast milk, she was a little finicky about taking formula, and spit up on his shoulder, but then despite all the advances manufacturer's claimed, there was still no perfect substitute for a mother's signature blend. She seemed to like the sound of Kate's voice better than the sound of his, but he tried not to take offense at that. He loved the sound of Kate's voice, too.

Rick and Kate had both just managed to fall back asleep after a midnight feeding, when the alarm sounded from the bassinet, as well as from both their phones. The sound in itself might have shocked Elizabeth back to breathing, but it didn't. With her smaller mouth and fingers, Kate started infant CPR while Rick called 911 and Alexis, then a neighbor to keep an eye on Lily and the boys while she and Rick were gone.

Elizabeth was breathing on her own again, long before she reached the hospital. Even with shattering every speed limit, it was still some time before Alexis arrived from Greenpoint, frantic and shaking. Once the doctor had assured her that Elizabeth seemed fine and they would just be keeping her for observation and tests, Alexis turned on Rick and Kate. "What the hell happened?"

"Alexis," Kate answered, her voice low and even. "You know what happened. It was exactly what you warned us about and we were prepared for. Elizabeth stopped breathing. We revived her and got her to the hospital."

"What Kate means is that she revived her," Castle added. "I just made the calls. And Kate got to her right away and I mean right away. She was right next to our bed, the way she would have been to yours. You wouldn't have been able to do anything we didn't do."

Tears began to leak from Alexis' eyes. "But Dad, it only happened when I left her. What if it was because I left her? What if she needed to be with her parents? What if that was what went wrong?"

Castle drew her into the warmth of his hastily clothed chest. "Hey, the doctor didn't say anything like that. Let the hospital run their tests. If there's a reason, they should find it."

"Can you stay with me?" Alexis asked, looking up with the moist eyes that so reminded him of her as a little girl."

He caught Kate's gaze. "I'll go home to be with Lily and the boys," she offered. "You go ahead and stay with Alexis."

Castle settled into a chair in the waiting room with his older daughter's head pillowed on the comfort of his shoulder.


	194. Chapter 194

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 194

The sun had already risen, when a doctor came to the waiting room to give Alexis her report. Alexis clung tightly to Rick's hand. "I understand that your daughter is normally breastfed and this was the first time she was on formula. Your pediatrician did recommend the one least likely to create problems. However, Elizabeth stopped breathing because she regurgitated the formula and choked on it," Dr. Capshaw explained. "No one was at fault. We tested for sensitivities and unfortunately found that any commercial formula, cow's milk or soy, may be problematical for your daughter. So I am giving you a referral to the breast milk bank. You should review the situation with your own pediatrician, but I strongly recommend that for the first year, if a time arises again when you can't provide your own milk for her, that you avail yourself of their resources. Right now, the best thing would be for you to come up to the infant unit and hold and feed your daughter. You should be able to take her home, shortly."

"But I may have been exposed to the flu. What if...?"

Capshaw smiled. "We have a test for that. It's brand new and still used only in emergency situations. I'll set it up and get someone to draw your blood. We won't send Elizabeth home with you until we're sure."

Alexis drew a deep breath and a smile ghosted her face. "Thank you, doctor, for everything."

Capshaw nodded. "That's what we're here for."

Before following Dr. Capshaw, Alexis turned to Rick. "And thank you for everything, Dad, and thank Kate again for me."

Castle gathered her in for a hug and kissed the top of her head. "That's what we're here for too."

* * *

Sully's eyes communicated sympathy as he interviewed Dr. Ellen Starcher, but he observed every detail of her expression and body language. "Dr. Starcher, again, let me tell you how sorry I am for your loss. I'm so sorry to have to ask you this, but in an investigation we have to cover all our bases. Where were you when your husband was killed?"

Ellen swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. Sully noticed there were no black streaks. He could tell she was wearing mascara, interesting that she had taken the effort, but it was obviously waterproof. I was asleep in the on call room, Detective. I had a patient whose condition was unstable, and I wanted to remain nearby. I spend a number of nights at the hospital. My husband understands - understood."

Sully handed her a tissue. "Of course doctor. I hope your patient is doing well. Again, I hate to have to ask, but can you think of anyone who would have wanted your husband dead?"

"Detective Sullivan, my husband has been instrumental in sending many criminals to jail. Letting a body speak to him was his passion, kind of like that character who used to be on that Navy TV show. It is a travesty that the system ever lets those people back on the street, but some of them may be. One of them could have come after him."

"I already have people checking on that," Sully assured her. "Is there anyone else?"

"Perhaps. Not everyone took his appointment as head of the Medical Examiner's office well. He received a couple of calls that sounded pretty nasty."

"Do you know from whom?" Sully inquired.

"The one I overheard him take, was from one of the other M.E.s. I think his name was Pearlstein - no Pearlmutter."

Sully nodded. "Thank you, Dr. Starcher. We will look into that. I can have an officer take you home now."

"If you wouldn't mind, I'd rather go to my job at the hospital. I need to stay busy."

"The unit will take you wherever you need to go," Sully promised, shepherding her out the door, to the care of uniformed policewoman. Sully headed back to his desk and met up with L.T., who'd been watching from observation. "What do you think?"

"She's a doctor. She would know how to use a scalpel." L.T. offered.

"And statistically it's most likely to be the wife," Sully added. "Check at the hospital. See if anyone saw Ellen Starcher there during our kill zone. Check on any security video too, especially the parking lot. If she has a car, see if it was there. Also, scrub the traffic cams for it; see where she went."

"What about Perlmutter?" L.T. asked.

"She said he sounded nasty, but when hasn't he sounded nasty?" Sully mused. "I'd be more suspicious if he said something nice. He does have the skills to remove a heart. I've seen him do it. He was humming _Ride_ _of the Valkyries_ while he cut it out. I'll talk to him and see if he has a hard alibi. If he doesn't, he goes up on the board as a suspect, too."

* * *

The pain in Sergei's head pounded at his brain, but his anger was louder. "The fucking formula? It was the fucking formula? Why the hell didn't our pediatrician do the tests the hospital did? The bitch could have killed Elizabeth!"

"She told us to use the safest one there is," Alexis reiterated. "And we'd never intended to use any formula at all. She knew that. Elizabeth is okay now and I won't be coming down with the flu. We're fine and we'll never let anything like that happen again."

"Still, I want to look into this further. Who knows how many parents may have lost children because of this? I'm going to reach out to the M.E.'s office. If further deaths can be prevented, they should be. No parent should ever suffer needlessly through that kind of a tragedy."

Alexis sighed."Sergei, of course I agree with you, and I'm totally behind any efforts you make to keep other babies safe, but for now, try to calm down and get some rest. I need you well and I need you home, and so does Elizabeth."

Sergei fell back against his pillow. "No one wants that more than I do."

* * *

Perlmutter examined Lanie Parish's preliminary autopsy report on Evan Starcher. He zoomed in on the images of cuts made to the blood vessels leading into the heart, checking to see if there was some unusual characteristic he could detect. The edges were clean. The killer had not used an old or dull scalpel. The instrument hadn't come out of some student dissection kit. It would have been the type used in an operating room - or in his lab. There were no hesitation marks either. Excision would have been sure and swift. Whoever did it, would have removed hearts on a regular basis. That could easily throw suspicion on anyone who normally performed autopsies, people such as himself. Detective Sullivan's visit and solicitation of an alibi, confirmed that it had fallen on him, and there was nothing he could do to deter it. He had been home, alone, but there was no one who was a witness to that, except his cat Herja, and she couldn't testify on his behalf. He doubted that the detectives of the N.Y.P.D. would put forward as enthusiastic an effort confirm his innocence as they might for an M.E. like Parish, who had wormed her way into their hearts. If anything, he might need help to protect himself against the efforts of those very detectives, someone would think along completely different lines. He pressed his palm to his forehead. There was one person he knew of who never stayed within the lines. It made him nauseous just to think about calling him, but that person was Richard Castle.


	195. Chapter 195

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 195

"Perlmutter called?" Castle repeated incredulously.

"He did," Ryan replied. "Alexis wasn't here so I took it, but Perlmutter asked for you. He said he had an urgent matter to discuss."

Unseen by Ryan, Rick's eyebrows approached his hairline. "Wow! I wonder what he wants. Used to be, he'd do almost anything to keep me away from him."

"Well he isn't now," Ryan replied. "He gave me his private cell phone number to pass on to you. He doesn't want you to call him at his lab."

"I didn't know he was ever anywhere else," Rick commented. "Alright, text it to me. The suspense is killing me."

Perlmutter was already waiting when Castle arrived at the ancient diner where the troubled M.E. had requested a meeting. Castle waited until the waitress had poured coffee - just coffee, no latte, no pumps of anything - into his cup. "So what's your urgent matter, Perlmutter?"

"Detective Sullivan is trying to hang a murder on me!" Perlmutter blurted out.

"Why would he do that?" Castle queried. "You just told him to lose weight and stop cracking inane jokes, every time he showed up at a crime scene. He should love you as much as I do."

"I'm serious, Castle," Sidney insisted. "It's Evan Starcher."

"The new director of your lab? I read about his murder, saw something on the news, too. As usual, the vultures couldn't wait to get the grieving widow on camera. They stalked her at the hospital where she's a surgeon. Other than your winning personality, why would Sully suspect you?"

Perlmutter gave Castle the best rundown of the case that he could.

"So you were passed over for the position. It was known that you and Starcher weren't on the best terms. You have no alibi, and to top it off the man's heart was expertly removed," Castle reiterated.

"That's it," Perlmutter confirmed.

"Are there other suspects?" Castle wondered, "like for example the grieving, but scalpel wielding widow?"

"How would I know, Castle?" Perlmutter rasped in annoyance. "The detective is not about to share the details of his investigation with me. I'm hoping you and your band of misfits can find out."

"Perlmutter, I will do you a favor and not tell Esposito what you called him," Castle promised. "RCI will see what we can do about clearing you and/or tracking down the real murderer, if nothing else, because none of us could picture the morgue without your charming countenance in it."

* * *

Ellen Starcher tried to concentrate on her drive back to her home in Connecticut. She had an apartment in the city, and during the week it was usually her base of operations, something Evan had never minded. Until his move to New York, he more than kept himself busy without her. They both worked long hours, but she knew it was more than that. You would think a medical examiner would be more careful, but Ellen had found blond hair blocking the drain of the shower, and she and Evan were both brunette. There were other clues. She'd found cranberry juice in the refrigerator. Evan had never been able to stand the stuff. Perhaps some little slut was trying to protect herself against a urinary tract infection. Then, of course, there were the linens. Evan had started changing them before she got home. He'd said he wanted to make their bed nice for her. Right! Before that, the man had never changed a sheet in his life. He'd probably learned how to make hospital corners from watching a video on YouTube. She'd tried to ignore all that, but with his new job in the city, things had become flagrant. Rather than share her apartment, or suggest that they get a bigger one together, he'd rented a room at the Rounders Club, attributing the need for it to his crazy hours, which were no crazier than her own. The club was known for its discretion, as well as the king sized round beds. It was if Evan had been rubbing his infidelity in her face.

Evan wouldn't be rubbing anything anywhere anymore, but she would. He'd had his affairs, so she'd started one of her own, and now the tables had really turned. Brian would be joining her for the weekend and she had purchased brand new sheets for the occasion. They were red, just like the blood that had flowed through Evan's adulterous heart.

* * *

Sully and L.T. shared a high table in the break room, with Sully resting his feet on the crossbar of his stool while L.T.'s were flat on the floor. Sully took a long drink from the can of soda he'd purchased from the vending machine. "So what do we have on the wife?"

"She has a car, but it didn't leave the hospital parking lot on the night of the murder. It's possible she took the subway. There's one a block away that would take her within two blocks of the murder scene. We're checking the subway cameras now, but there's a lot they miss. We're also checking with Uber, Lyft, and the cab companies. Nothing yet. She was signed in, but no one at the hospital remembers seeing her during the kill zone. There was a resident on her service who was monitoring her patients. The hospital staff couldn't say much because of privacy rules, but they did say there was no reason Ellen Starcher would have been paged that night. She could have left and returned," L.T. speculated. "There aren't many security cameras. Privacy concerns again."

"The check on anyone Evan Starcher helped convict, didn't turn up anything either," Sully reported. "There have only been a couple of releases. Both of them were in Connecticut and neither one would have any idea how to use a scalpel. One was a stock broker and the other one was a divorce lawyer. He might have ripped someone's heart out but not neatly removed it."

"What about Perlmutter?" L.T. Asked.

"Still a suspect. No alibi. He had motive, means, and opportunity. If it weren't for the wife, that would put him at the top of our hit parade. We'll have to keep looking at both of them."

"I hate to think It's Perlmutter," L.T. offered. "He's sort of like an old dog that barks at you every time you go past his yard. After a while you get used to it."

"He barks, alright, Sully agreed. "We just need to find out if he bit. Bit, right?" Sully chortled at his own joke.

* * *

Unfortunately for Perlmutter, the ancient brownstone where he had his apartment was far from secure. There was no doorman and the only cameras were in the front entry and the elevator. They could easily be avoided by taking the stairs or using an exit off the laundry room. Ryan and Esposito knocked on every door, trying to find someone who could testify that Perlmutter had been home on the night of the murder. The few tenants who knew him at all, couldn't corroborate his story. He'd disabled the GPS on his phone, so his whereabouts couldn't be electronically confirmed either. He hadn't streamed any movies or television. As far as they could tell, there was nothing with a time stamp, related to his whereabouts.

"We're getting' nowhere Bro," Esposito stated unnecessarily.

"I know," Kevin agreed. "We need another suspect, Javi."

"It's not like we can just get the case file," Esposito complained. "Sully is keeping the case locked up tight."

"So we go where the information flows," Kevin suggested.

They looked at each other as "The Old Haunt," simultaneously issued from both of their mouths.


	196. Chapter 196

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 196

Castle sat over coffee and cronuts with Ryan and Esposito, in an impromptu meeting at RCI in Manhattan. "So you boys were hanging out at my most intoxicating business venture last night. Pick up any juicy tidbits about the case?"

"Nothing but cops complaining about wasting their time scrubbing traffic cams and subway video," Ryan replied. "Javi got so pissed off, he bounced a dart off the wires on the board."

"Hey, that wire was bent," Esposito protested. "That should have been a twenty-pointer. You oughta get that fixed, Castle."

"I'll look into it," Castle responded, "after we hit the target on this investigation. Okay, I understand checking on the subway, but Perlmutter doesn't own a car, so for whom were they looking on the traffic cams?"

"They mentioned something about a hospital," Ryan offered. "Probably the wife. She's a doctor."

"It's usually the wife," Esposito added. "I don't know why Sully's after Perlmutter. He wouldn't have to use a scalpel. He could have talked the guy to death."

"Sounds like Sully isn't just after Perlmutter," Castle considered. "What do we have on the wife?"

"Ellen Starcher. Not much," Ryan admitted. "We ran background. Never any run-ins with the law. A few of the usual malpractice suits, but nothing that stood up in court. Her reputation in her field is good. She worked in New York before her husband did. Has an apartment here. No kids. Doesn't look like she and hubby spent that much time together."

"Hmm," Castle mused. "If they weren't spending their time together, with whom were they spending it? How hard would it be to get the phone records on both of them?"

"That would be Alexis' area," Ryan said. "She's become our master hacker, even more so since Elizabeth was born and she's situated herself in the Brooklyn office."

"Then let's give my brilliant daughter a call," Castle proposed.

* * *

Kate pushed her hair behind her ear, trying not to notice that it was damp with sweat. It had been a hell of a morning. The judge who had been sympathetic to the complaints Kate had been pursuing against negligent landlords, was on vacation. It was well deserved, but his replacement was not fully conversant with the applicable law and did not appear to care. Kate felt as if she'd been trying to educate an intransigent student, without being able to threaten failure or detention. In the end, she'd accomplished her purpose. The landlord had been found culpable, paving the way for Kate to obtain financial assistance for a change of residence for her client. It was one battle won, but she was still far from declaring victory.

She would have loved to go back to Fieldston to unload to Castle, over lunch. But she had more work to do in Manhattan that afternoon. Maybe there was a chance that he could join her for an hour. She pulled out her phone and was delighted to find Castle was already in Manhattan, not far away.

* * *

"So how are things going with the Starcher case?" Kate asked after pouring out her frustration over potato wedges substantial enough to sink her teeth into."

"My hacker extraordinaire daughter is bent over a hot key board as we speak, trying to crack the phone records of the victim and his wife, looking for extracurricular activities. There's nothing much else to go on right now."

"You think they both might have been having affairs? Babe, that doesn't make sense. If they were cheating on each other, why would she want to cut his heart out? She'd already be getting her revenge."

"You have a point," Castle acknowledged, "but we don't know anything yet. They could both be as pure as the driven snow."

Kate raised a skeptical brow. "New York snow?"

Castle grinned triumphantly. "Exactly. We'll just have to see what kind of dirt turns up and where." As if on cue, the opening chords of the theme from the newest Nancy Drew movie sounded from Castle's phone. "Sounds like our red headed sleuth has uncovered something."

* * *

Melissa Krautmeyer ran a brush through her golden locks and confined them in a topknot. Before she started her work, her hair would be covered by a surgical cap, her favorite, with brilliant red poppies. It would never do to contaminate the body and cast doubt on her competency. It was one of those cases where the family was trying to uncover some medical error as the cause of the death of a beloved but poor relative. They wanted to get something out of his death. There was a very good chance she'd find something. Errors were made all the time. Medicine was full of uncertainty and it was easy to rethink a course of treatment in hindsight. Discussion of such missteps usually went no further than a mortality and morbidity conference, if it got that far. For the most part, the families were treated to platitudes that everything that could have been done, was done. The ones who refused to except those declarations, either for love or money, were Melissa's bread and butter.

Melissa covered her scrubs with a disposable surgical gown that could be worn once and consigned to the bio-hazard bin for destruction. Her lab had it's own incineration system. Powerful lasers reduced everything to sterile ash, which could safely go to any landfill. Anything introduced into the system would be gone without a trace, or an opportunity for further investigation. The city appreciated the elimination of any chance of the accidental spread of pathogens. They had even given the lab a good steward award. Melissa appreciated the system very much herself. Anything she introduced into it, whether it was clothing or a traitorous organ, would be irrevocably gone. She drew a great deal of peace of mind from knowing she had that power at her fingertips.

She examined her surgical instruments. They were, as always, perfect, as would be every cut and every determination she made be. Her lab had the newest and the best analytical equipment, surpassing most hospitals, universities, and public institutions. She also spent hours each day keeping up on advancements in techniques. That had been one problem with Evan. He always thought he was on top of everything, but he had to make do with whatever upgrades his government employers were willing to fund, and the purse strings were always pulled tight. She had avoided coming up against him in court. She would have destroyed him. But that didn't matter anymore. It didn't matter at all.

* * *

Castle could hear the excitement in Alexis' voice. "Dad, I have Evan Starcher's cell phone records. He was barraged with calls from one number, over twenty a day, for a week before he was murdered. After the first one, he didn't answer any of them."

"Who was the budding telemarketer?" Castle inquired.

More like tele-stalker," Alexis replied, "but I don't know. They came from a burner. I'm going to try to track down where it was purchased. I'll let you know if I get anything."

"Great work, sweetheart. You are definitely adding to our suspect pool." Kate gave her husband a quizzical look. He tucked his phone away as his mind whirred. "Our murder victim was trying to duck someone who wanted to do more than try to sell him an extended warranty. Whoever it was, took care to cover their tracks."

"So you think they tried to make contact in person?" Kate asked.

Castle nodded. "I think our persistent caller may have finally found a way to get to the heart of the matter."


	197. Chapter 197

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 197

With Kate at FTC, and no input on Perlmutter's case all morning, Castle had been working on another Star Train story. He'd wondered if Jake's love of pirates was contagious, because he'd longed to craft some of the space-faring variety, but there had been so many already, they seemed a trope. He'd needed something different. He'd decided on Greachers, strange creatures who were graviton scavengers. They used them to deform space into breeding caverns. Though not actively hostile, their activities threatened the fold in space that served as the train's three dimensional track, and thus the train itself. Pirri had to figure out how to save his train without sparking conflict with the new species. He would, of course, get help from the assortment of characters on the train. Enmeshed in the creative process, Castle couldn't decide whether he wanted to stop long enough to fortify himself with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or skip lunch entirely and join in snack time when the kids returned from school.

When the call came from Alexis, the question of food flew from his mind. "Dad, I have something on that burner phone. It turns out it was purchased recently enough to have one of those government mandated back doors they use to track potential terrorists. The GPS couldn't be disabled. It was broadcasting a location right up until the last call was made to Starcher. Then the phone must have been destroyed, but I have the location of that call. It was from a private company called The Final Cut. They do forensic investigations for hire, including forensic pathology."

"Autopsies?" Castle queried.

Alexis' excitement poured through the phone. "Yes. Their website lists three forensic pathologists, two men and a woman. I'm starting deep background on all of them."

"This appears to have been a crime of passion, and as far as we know, Evan Starcher only swung one way. Who's the woman?"

"Dr. Melissa Krautmeyer," Alexis relayed.

"Hmm," Castle mused, "hardly a romantic name, but nonetheless, _cherchez la femme_."

* * *

Heat didn't usually bother Kate, except when Castle had first applied the appellation to her alter ego, but she had sweated her way through the day. The air conditioning in her office at FTC was going full blast in defense against the July weather, but it didn't seem to be helping much. She would have loved to strip down to a tank top, or at least a light t-shirt, but she wanted to retain an appearance suitable for court, so other than hanging her jacket on the back of her chair, she kept her formality intact. At least she'd put her hair up that morning. She wouldn't have wanted to cope with the feel of it, damp against her neck.

Despite the passage of her legislation, if anything, the stream of families in need of decent housing had become worse. Even without the toxic paint, low cost apartments were becoming uninhabitable as the insect population was rising out of control. The city's rodents were seeking shelter within old walls and several cases of plague had been reported. Kate suspected they didn't represent the full extent of the public health hazard, and encouraged every family she encountered to seek medical help for any unusual illness. It seemed that the minute she had made inroads into one crisis, another one just as bad popped up. She reached for her bottle of water. Damn, empty. She went in search of more in the break room. She hoped the ice maker in the refrigerator was working. She really needed to cool down.

* * *

Lily stood hesitantly in the doorway of her father's office. "Daddy, is Mama mad at me?"

"Why Sweetheart? How you committed some infamy of which I am blissfully unaware?"

Lily chewed her lip in a way that was eerily like her mother."I haven't done anything wrong," she protested. "It's just that this morning when I was trying to show her a picture of a new bathing suit I want for when we go to the Hamptons and I can swim in the pool, she told me she didn't have time. She didn't even look at it. Mama's not usually like that. She likes to look at clothes I think are sepshal."

"I doubt that it has anything to do with you," Castle assured his daughter. "She has a lot on her mind right now. There are a lot of people who need her help. But I can try to find out if anything else is bothering her."

The hunch in Lily's shoulders relaxed a bit. "Thanks Daddy. I'm going to go do my music now."

After his daughter had gone to her piano, Castle let out a slow breath. He leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. Kate was definitely on edge. Building theory with him had helped yesterday. That was one thing in their relationship that always had, but she'd had little patience for listening to his possible plot lines, which was unusual. Most of the time she enjoyed, or at least tolerated them, but she'd been as dismissive of his ideas as she had of Lily's swimsuit. She'd also kicked the covers off three times last night. Something was definitely off. He had a theory as to what. He'd been through it with his mother, but it seemed early, and he hadn't a clue how to bring it up. Maybe that was it. Kate had talked to Martha before about things she wouldn't confess to him. He had a lot of things, but a second X chromosome wasn't one of them. She might need the ear of another woman. On the other hand, Kate could just be running on overload. From what she'd told him the day before, the substitute judge had really gotten to her. Perhaps a massive application of pampering would be in order. He guessed he had at least a couple of hours before she would make it home from FTC. That was enough time to put a plan in motion.

* * *

Kate dropped the messenger bag that accommodated all her legal papers by the front door and slipped out of her heels. She went in search of water or iced tea or anything to drink that might be chilling in the refrigerator. Castle was pulling a pan of triple fudge chocolate chip brownies out of the oven. He put it on a rack to cool, then handed Kate a glass of red wine he'd had waiting. "Thought you might like to relax with that. I have the Jacuzzi up to temperature, with cherry scented bubbles. The kids have eaten. Grown up dinner whenever you're ready."

Kate put her wine glass on the counter and opened the refrigerator. She let the chilled air waft over her. "Babe, I appreciate it, I really do, but right now a hot bath is the last thing I want. More like a cold shower."

Castle quirked an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"I didn't mean it like that. It's just that it's boiling out there and I want to cool down and get into some comfortable clothes before I think about eating anything, even your incredible brownies."

"Sure," Castle agreed. "Take your time."

Kate filled a glass with ice, topped it with juice, and took it with her to the master bath.

Castle watched her retreat. Time for "Plan B." The pasta he'd planned could be served cold in a salad. He took a couple of sips from the glass of red wine he'd given Kate and poured the rest out in the sink. A chilled sparkling white would suit the situation better. He was willing to bet that Kate would eventually want the brownies. He hoped so. After food, wine, and brownies, he'd just have to see what developed.


	198. Chapter 198

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 198

The smell of vanilla still hung in the air from the candles that had cast their glow around the bed when Castle's experienced hands had worked their magic on Kate's knotted muscles, the night before. Slowly waking, he turned on his side to gaze at his wife. She was partially covered by a sheet, with one leg in and one leg out. Despite his ministrations, he'd felt her restlessness through the night, but now her face was serene in sleep. He was not about to disturb the slumbering lioness. If she had an appointment, her phone, sitting on the bedside table, would remind her. He'd get the kids off to school. Not that Lily needed much help. In a pinch, she could not only competently get herself out the door, but could take care of her brothers as well. He just didn't want to put that on her. A summer with no Juilliard, and a relaxed curriculum from Lagi's Trails, had been good for her. Despite willingly assuming the burden of looking after her grandfather while Martha recovered, she'd been upbeat and cheerful, especially after her second meeting with Colson Jennings. The regular school year was fast approaching, and she deserved to enjoy whatever was left of her break.

They all needed a break, really - well maybe not the twins. Immersed in the anime world they were building, the last thing they wanted was an interruption of their efforts. That had been even more the case since receiving their instruction from the comic book masters at the cons. In between summer session, playing with Cory, and trying to menace their sister, they had been devoting every minute to churning out their latest adventures. At their age, there was no way they could approach the level of art or story development in an off the shelf graphic novel, but their progress was still extraordinary, if he did say so himself. He could visualize their work being salable before they reached college age, maybe even in the early years of high school. Not that they'd have to worry about making money from their efforts. The money for college, or whatever education they chose, was securely in trust, but as a lifelong comic book collector, he really felt they'd be good enough to give the professionals a run for their money, if that was what they wanted to do. He and Kate had produced some talented kids.

Grunting, he threw his legs over the side of the bed. It was time to stop patting himself on the back. No one is responsible for their genes, for better or worse, and it had been easy for him to provide Lily and the boys with the advantages they needed, as he'd done with Alexis. There were families Kate worked with everyday, who might have kids with just as much talent as his own brood. Without the resources his children enjoyed, those kids might end up flipping burgers - assuming robots had not completely taken over the task.

That was something to think about. His mother had given scholarships to a number of young actors who otherwise would have never made it closer to the Great White Way than parking cars and serving post-theater dinner. A couple of them were now featured players and one was a breakout star. In eras of cost-cutting, some arts programs for the disadvantaged in the city and all across the country had foundered. When Liz Ware had begun to drag the country kicking and screaming back in a more civilized direction, some had been rescued, but there were still issues perceived as much more urgent. Lindsey Teal seemed to be pushing for continued progress, but her background also gave her a more defense based tilt, which would not include the defense of a world inhabited by costumed crusaders. Now that Castle Press was well on its way to success, there was no reason he couldn't venture into graphic novels, and launch a program to support young artists and writers who might produce them. His Star Train stories could be presented in that format. It had worked for Derrick Storm. And like the Derrick Storm graphic novels it would give Castle even more reason to show up at cons and interact with fans. The vision of the new project was energizing. He strode to the kitchen to get breakfast started. It would be a special waffles morning and he'd make sure to save some batter for Kate, whenever she emerged from the restorative shelter of dreamland.

Unaccompanied, Ryan met with Alexis at the Brooklyn branch of RCI. It was a much shorter trip for him than it was for Javi, and he could fill his partner in afterward. "So you want us to do surveillance on this Melissa Krautmeyer?" he inquired.

Alexis bobbed her head. "Uh huh. I've uncovered a lot more information about her. She's worked in several cities besides New York, and her work record has always been spotless, but there were a couple of restraining orders against her - for stalking. And in the last city she lived in, Cary North Carolina, a defense attorney she'd been working with was found murdered not long before she left. His head had been bashed in. The case is still unsolved."

"Was his heart cut out?" Ryan asked.

"No. I couldn't find a description of how skillfully it was accomplished, but another part of his anatomy had been drastically shortened."

Ryan winced. "Ooh! So what are you expecting Javi and me to see?"

"Honestly, I don't know," Alexis confessed. "See if she trolls for guys and how she behaves if she finds one. Just anything that doesn't look normal."

Ryan shook his head. "Whatever that is, in New York. What about the wife?"

"I have Jake and Reese on her. So far they haven't seen her do anything but go to work at the hospital and go back to her apartment. But if she leaves the city, Roselyn is going to switch off with them. Her wife is out of town, so it should work out for her."

* * *

It had been a tough few days for Ellen Starcher. Two of her patients had been touch and go. They'd stabilized and were both improving now, so she felt justified in taking a couple of days for herself at the Connecticut house. Brian would be meeting her there, but she'd have a couple of hours to prepare first. Their last meeting had been as fiery as the scarlet sheets, and she was looking forward to a reprise. They'd have chili and guacamole. That always seemed to get things going - better than oysters ever had - and without the slime factor. As she drove, she nibbled the extra dark chocolate she'd stowed in the cup holder in the center console. She could already feel the love hormone, oxytocin, coursing through her body. She'd considered using a nasal spray, but chocolate was so much better. She'd be ready. She would be readier than she'd ever been in her life, and there would be absolutely nothing and no one to stop her from enjoying herself.

* * *

Roselyn Karpowski was following Ellen Starcher, but not too closely. She had a pretty good idea where the woman was going. She and her GPS knew the way to the Starcher Connecticut house. The only thing she didn't know, was what would would be a good vantage point when she got there. Wherever she parked, she was prepared. She had her binoculars, several meals worth of food and drinks, and a porta-potty, in the back of her van. She also had a change of clothes and the new musical mixes her wife had made before going to visit family. As stakeouts went, it wouldn't be too bad at all.


	199. Chapter 199

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 199

Roselyn counted herself lucky to have found a place where her van would be concealed by trees, at the side of a gravel topped road near the Starcher house. She set up her parabolic microphone and the heat sensors. They would help her track motion in the house and alert her if someone tried to leave, in case she was catching some shut eye on the fold down bed. When she could be sure she wouldn't be seen, she could plant a bug or two as well, which would provide more and higher quality sound.

She'd just finished, when she detected a car coming up the private drive. Focusing on the driver, she was pretty sure from body type that he was male. He parked at the rear of the house. She used a long range lens to capture a picture, then transmitted it to Alexis for facial recognition. The visitor was tall with brown hair, light blue eyes, and a body that appeared to grace a gym on a regular basis. At the back door, Ellen greeted him as Brian, before wrapping herself around the well muscled frame. After a moment, the two disappeared into the house, but appeared on Roselyn's screen as red blobs, one slightly larger then the other. Roselyn pulled a drink out of her cooler and opened a bag of pork rinds. She guessed that Ellen wouldn't be leaving the house anytime soon.

* * *

Slowly freeing herself from entanglement in the bed sheet, Kate reached for her phone to check the time. Ten A.M.. Despite her husband's efforts, it had been a rough night and it had been almost sunrise before she'd been comfortable enough for any kind of deep sleep. She'd needed the rest and she hadn't missed any meetings, but sleeping in, still put her behind. She wanted coffee, lots of it, but she wanted a shower first. She was sticky, and not in the best way.

Castle heard the shower running, started reheating his waffle iron and put on a fresh pot of coffee. A few moments later, Kate came into the kitchen, barefoot and in one of his cotton T-shirts. Tall as she was, the shirt was still big and loose on her, the image of the Star Train centered below her breasts. "Sleeping beauty awakes," Castle declared, handing her a mug of fresh brew. "Hungry?"

Kate really wasn't, but it was obvious that Castle was doing his best to be supportive. "Sure. Are you eating too?"

"I ate with the kids," Castle confessed, "but I can use another infusion of caffeine."

Kate slowly sipped the hot liquid Rick had handed her, while her waffle baked. Castle topped it with fresh strawberries and a sprinkling of vanilla flavored sugar. He put the plate in front of her. Kate drew in an appreciative breath. "That smells good."

Carrying his own mug of coffee, Castle dropped into the seat next to her. "Kate, ever since I've known you, you've been fighting battles, and you've rarely asked for help until the water was over your head and you were going down for the third time - except for the time when your car went into the river and we were both about to drown for real. I was there for you then and I'm here for you now. Whatever is going on with you, I hope you know that."

"Oh Babe, I do, always," Kate assured him, reaching for his hand, "but to tell you the truth, I'm not sure what's going on or even if anything is going on. I could just be having a bad week. It happens, you know?"

"I do indeed," Castle affirmed. "Okay, just whatever you need me to do, I'm at your service."

A smile pulled at Kate's lips. "About the quality of your service, I've never had any complaints, but I need to finish this, put on some attorney-at-law clothes, and get out of here."

Castle squeezed her hand. "I am sure you will be the very image of lawyerly perfection."

A minute after Kate had departed for FTC, Castle pulled out his phone.

"Darling," Martha answered, "to what do I owe the call?"

"Do I need a reason to talk to my mother?" Castle asked.

"It used to be procrastination," Martha recalled, ""but middle age does seem to have increased your level of self-discipline, so spill kiddo. What's on your mind?"

"Kate. Specifically, I think, I mean she might be at the age when …."

"For God's sake spit it out, Richard!" Martha urged. "Wasting time is something I can't afford these days."

"Right," Castle agreed. "I don't think she knows it yet, but I believe she might be going through, um, the change."

"And by the change, I take it you mean menopause," Martha prompted.

"Uh huh, I think so. I mean, I remember when you - um- hot. And she's... uh, yeah."

"Ah, the writer's clarity. Have you spoken to her about this?"

"Not in so many words," Castle admitted. "I asked if I could help, but I think she really needs someone of the female persuasion to talk to."

"Someone for whom that particular ordeal is behind her, way behind her," Martha suggested.

"Mother, I didn't say that, but if you could speak to her, that would be great. I thought I could set up dinner with you and Jim and then get him out of the way somehow, with man stuff."

"I think Lily might have better luck at getting his attention than you would, with whatever you think man stuff is. I know you don't mean baseball. But I can make it easier for you. I can just call Katherine and invite her to lunch. There is a lovely little tearoom I want to try. Not a whole lot of masculine patronage. It doesn't even have any big screens on the walls."

"That would be perfect Mother, thank you. Really, thank you."

"Don't mention it, kiddo. This is one china shop women don't need a bull stumbling around in."

* * *

The two blobs had glowed brightly, merging with each other several times, but now they were next to each other and no longer moving. Roselyn assumed they were in bed. Much of the sound she'd picked from inside the house had been unintelligible. She imagined that software might be able to clean up what she'd recorded, but it seemed like a good time to move in to plant her listening devices. The house had security, or at least the sign stuck in the front lawn and the stickers on the windows claimed that it did. She'd never seen herself as a tech, but she could disable a simple system. In this case, she didn't think she'd have to. She could attach her electronics to the outside walls of the areas of the house where Ellen and Brian had spent most of their time. At this short a range, they'd do a great job at feeding the sound back to the equipment in her van. She'd be able to listen in real time and could review anything she'd missed, later. She would never have been able to bug a possible perp as a cop - not without a warrant. It wouldn't be admissible in court. And to be useful, anything she did learn now, would have to be passed on to Sully or L.T. as an anonymous tip. That was assuming she had anything to pass on. She'd plant her bugs, grab what sleep she could later, and find out.


	200. Chapter 200

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 200

Martha smiled warmly as the waiter guided Kate to her table. "Darling, I am so glad you could make it."

"I almost didn't," Kate confessed. "We had an emergency come up at FTC. A family with six kids was evicted from their apartment. It was industrially zoned and they were living there illegally, so there wasn't much we could do to intervene, but we had to get them some funding to move into a place they could afford - and find them one. Even in the outer boroughs there isn't much, and the parents both work in Manhattan."

"Don't I know it about Manhattan rents," Martha agreed. "Some of my students are living four to a studio apartment. They sleep in shifts. Even then, they're still struggling. It can be impossible. Were you successful?"

"We were, but it had more to do with Maria Esposito than it did with me. She contacted one of our donors, a success story from her old neighborhood. He's very faithful to his religion, and particularly supportive of large families. He has a building where they can live, and he'll rent to them for something they can afford."

Martha put a hand on Kate's arm. "Why Katherine, what a dear thing for him to do. It reminds you there are still a few good men in this city. Of course we snagged two of them."

Kate nodded and smiled. "Yes we did." She looked around the room. It was ultra feminine. The wallpaper featured tiny bunches of flowers that coordinated with tiny vases on each table. The tablecloths were in soft pastels and tables were set with fine china. "This is a lovely place, Martha."

Martha took a brightly colored shawl that had been draped over the back of her chair and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Yes, but I believe they have the air conditioning up too high. That may just be the years creeping up on me. You're not cold, are you dear? When I was your age, I was warm everywhere. I even invested in a few of those Japanese fans. I passed them off as a fashion accessory. It added to my mystery."

Kate's eyes narrowed. She couldn't imagine Martha having much mystery at all. What was on her mind usually proceeded immediately from her mouth. The lack of subtlety was one thing she'd passed on to her son. It was a rare day when Rick could put anything past Kate, and Martha wasn't doing any better. "No I'm not cold, Martha, and I suspect you knew I wouldn't be when you invited me. Did Rick put you up to this?"

"Richard might have said something," Martha admitted. "He's worried about you, Katherine. He has his suspicions about what might be troubling you and he thought you might be more comfortable talking to someone who's weathered the ravages of time, or even enjoyed them. There are some aspects of womanhood I didn't mind leaving behind. So is he correct? Have you had yourself checked out?"

"He could be, and no, in that order, Martha. Things aren't that bad and I haven't had the time."

"Or you haven't made it," Martha returned. "You should do it, for yourself and for Richard. Darling, he is still so in love with you, he'd adore you as a pile of sagging skin and brittle bones - not that you're anywhere close to that. He just wants the best for you."

"I know," Kate admitted. "And I love him for it."

"I know you do, Darling," Martha assured her, picking up a menu. "Now, I am told the salmon mousse here is to die for."

Kate scanned the offerings. "I think I'd rather have the steak tartare."

"Yes," Martha replied, "sometimes we all need some red meat."

* * *

Roselyn hadn't heard much of what she might have regarded as regular conversation. There was sexual banter and even some shop talk. Brian shared Ellen's profession. The information Alexis had transmitted, identified him as Dr. Brian Ellerby, cardiac surgeon. He had quite a reputation for performing successful transplants, working out of a different hospital than Ellen did. That could add him to the list of suspects. Depending on how long he and Ellen had been together, he might have a motive for taking out her husband, and he'd certainly have the skill. She wasn't sure if that would fit in with the crime of passion angle. That would require more investigation.

Neither Ellen nor Brian had discussed the crime, or for that matter even mentioned Evan Starcher's name. Roselyn wasn't sure if she could read anything from that. It was equally possible that they wouldn't talk about the crime because they had nothing to do with it, or because neither one of them wanted to give any thought to Ellen's late and not particularly great, husband. Roselyn hoped they'd be heading back to the city soon. She'd already used her change of clothes and her food supply was getting low. With the bugs in place, she could make a supply run, but she really wanted a shower. Washing up with bottled water was better than nothing, but really didn't get the job done.

Her equipment chimed an alert. Both blobs of heat had materialized outside the back door of the house, as humans. Brian climbed into his car, with a last kiss goodbye. Ellen went to the front of the house, to retrieve her own vehicle. They started their drives, presumably back to the city, a few minutes apart. Roselyn didn't need to follow either car. She had home and workplaces addresses for both of them. She'd also slipped trackers on both vehicles. She'd have to see how Alexis wanted to manage the assignments. With the addition of another suspect, the detectives would be spread a little thinner. That was Alexis' decision as manager. As long as Roselyn had a chance for a shower, a meal that wasn't pre-prepared, and some sleep in a real bed, she'd be ready for anything.

* * *

Melissa Krautmeyer was strange, that was the only way that Ryan could put it. To him, anyone who'd want to cut up bodies was a little strange anyway. He could never understand why someone as otherwise normal as Lanie would want to go into that branch of the medical profession. But then he'd never figured out why she'd find Alan Masters a more attractive mate than Javi, either. As Castle would say, "The heart wants what the heart wants." Or in Evan Starcher's case, someone really wanted a heart. Melissa's quirks did simplify surveillance on the day shift. She left her home at precisely the same time each day, went to the same Java Hut, put in the same order, and arrived at work at precisely nine A.M.. She took an hour for lunch at noon. There was a little variety there. She visited three local restaurants, but as far as he could tell, had one favorite selection. Melissa was never late returning to work at one, and she was never late leaving. She always departed at six P.M.. That was when things got interesting.

Melissa liked bars, but so far, not the same one twice. Espo had followed her in the evening, but he had been unable to figure out how she picked one. The first had featured country music and line dancing. The second had been an Irish pub, and the last looked more like a place for suits to exchange business cards. In each case, she dressed the part. If she was trolling, she wasn't very good at it, or hadn't found a man who interested her. So far, she'd always arrived at, and left, the bars alone.


	201. Chapter 201

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 201

Kate had toyed with the idea of just getting a test kit at the drugstore, but knew she'd never be able to get that past Rick, or Martha for that matter. She'd expected, considering the lack of emergency, that it would take at least a couple of days to get a doctor's appointment, but there had been a cancellation, and the office scheduler was able to fit her in. Now she'd logged on to the patient friendly site to get her test results.

She didn't know whether to be upset or relieved. Her thyroid was normal. Everything was normal - for the age she liked to forget she'd achieved. She was leaving a phase of her life behind. It was a phase she'd never been sure she wanted in the first place. Castle was the one who loved babies. For the most part, babies loved the man who had retained his child-like sense of wonder, as much as he adored them. Until Lily was born, Kate had known she'd try, but she'd never really believed she could feel the way he did about tiny human beings. Then she'd understood. Her children occupied a place in her heart she'd never known existed. That she would fight to the death to protect them was without question. That they sometimes drove her crazy was equally true, but she wouldn't have it any other way.

Now there would be no more little bundles of joy and frustration. It wasn't as if she and Rick had planned any more. He'd been able to get his baby fix from Bernard, and now from Elizabeth. Someday Lily and the boys could have children as well. It made no logical sense, but she still felt a sense of loss. She wasn't sure what Rick would feel. She'd peeked into his office, a few moments before she checked her results. She could tell by his intensity at the keyboard, as well as the satisfied smile, that he'd immersed himself in whatever his current plot line was. She didn't want to break his chain of thought. She could tell him at lunch. She was having her first slow day in a long time. She could cook something for an adult palate, a dish that she and Castle would appreciate, but the children wouldn't have wanted to touch. Somehow that seemed appropriate.

Despite Kate's consideration, Castle's creative process was interrupted in a way he hadn't expected. The phone call was from Paula. He was tempted to let it go to voice mail, but decided the torture she'd subject him to later, wouldn't be worth it. "Rick," Paula declared, "you're not going to believe it! You're just not going to believe it!"

"Well according to my wife and older daughter, I'll believe almost anything," Castle responded, "so you might as well give it a try."

"Five Star Productions wants an option on Star Train."

"They want to make a Star Train movie?" Castle queried.

"Better. Television. They want to do a limited series, ten weeks," she announced. "Then if it flies, they want an option for seven more seasons."

"Eight seasons? What runs for eight seasons? I mean besides the Simpsons."

"Well, they'll need to make some decent money off of season one first, but what a coup for you and Castle Press! I still can't believe it. So, can I make the deal?"

"I'm not sure," Castle mused, "after what happened with the Nikki Heat movie. Who do they want to play Pirri? We need someone who'll give the project some class."

Paula's sigh came through the phone. "Rick, you're giving me agita here. They aren't even looking at the casting, until they have the option. Do you want to see your sci fi hero on television or not?"

"I want to be be able to approve the lead," Castle insisted. "And I don't want some shlock scriptwriter. They'll need someone who really understands my characters."

Paula sighed again. "Rick, you're killing me, but I'll see what I can do."

Castle put down the phone and looked back at his screen. His teeth clenched in frustration. Pirri was stranded in the middle of a paragraph and he had no idea where he'd intended him to go. Cory padded in and stuck his muzzle in Rick's lap. Rick absently scratched the dog's head. "Up for a walk?" The dog wagged his tail enthusiastically.

Kate was just sliding some bourbon soaked steak into the refrigerator to marinate when Castle walked into the kitchen, carrying Cory's leash. "I was going to take Cory out. Want to go with?"

"Yeah, that would work," Kate agreed. "There's something I need to tell you. We can talk as we walk."

"I have something to tell you too," Castle said. "To the park?"

Cory gave a yip from behind them.

Kate laughed. "I think it's been decided."

"Are you really that worried about who'll play Pirri?" Kate asked, after Castle had relayed the gist of his conversation with Paula.

"Kate, after all we both went though with Natalie Rhodes, are you kidding? And I don't need another salute from Rotten Tomatoes for the worst of anything. Some small theaters still run late night showings of Nikki Heat for people who want to heckle and throw popcorn at the screen. I could use a little respect in my old age. But I can let Paula sort all that out. She's good at it. She kvetches, but she gets it done. Now you said you have something to tell me."

"I have test results from my doctor. You - and Martha - were right."

Castle put an arm around her shoulders and leaned down to kiss her hair. "Well that's a relief. I'm glad it wasn't some fatal affliction. I checked the net. There were all sorts of frightening possibilities. I guess we're sailing into senescence together. So how do you feel about it?"

Kate shrugged. "Fine, I guess."

"Kate?" Castle prodded.

Kate fingered the necklace Castle had given her as a symbol of her continuing battles for justice. "It's stupid, but I just don't want to think of myself as past it."

"Not stupid. Human. Kate, not too long ago, you were the one giving me the pep talk. You're not past anything. Look at Mother. She had her greatest success in her second chapter, her acclaim on the stage, the expansion of her school, marrying your father. And when Simon Doyle predicted I'd write literature, we'd have three kids, and you'd be a senator, remember how ridiculous you thought that all was? But it's happened, and so much more than that. Who would have thought I'd be a publisher? Who knows what you'll go on to when you're finished with your term? The future is wide open Kate. This is just another step along the way."

"Castle I know, you're right. I'll just have to get used to it."

"What can I do to help?" Castle questioned.

"Well," Kate mused, "when we get back to the house, after we eat the steaks I have marinating, we could take a nap."

"Naps are good," Castle agreed, "especially after all the exercise Cory is giving us."

"The problem with this kind of exercise is that we have to keep our clothes on," Kate suggested.

"So maybe we do some naked exercise to burn off the steak and then we rest our old bones together, until the kids get home?" Castle proposed.

Kate bumped a hip against his. "Sounds like a plan. Let's hope Cory doesn't take too long."


	202. Chapter 202

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 202

Jake observed the man three machines down from him in Workout Wonders. Dr. Brian Ellerby was as Roselyn had described him, tall and reasonably good looking. Most of the women in the gym and a couple of the men, had given the surgeon a second glance. Of course the same was true of Jake, but he didn't particularly care. Mai was a universe above them. No woman going through her paces here could last thirty seconds on the mat with his lover. Jake doubted that the men could either, but from what he'd seen of Brian's regimen, it was well crafted to build stamina, rather than pure strength. That made sense for someone who would need to spend hours at an operating table. He imagined it wouldn't have hurt in Brian's adventures with Ellen Starcher either. There was no doubt the doctor was determined, getting in his repetitions without distraction. He had responded to none of the come hither looks tossed his way. His behavior posed the question of whether Brian's devotion was to his body, Ellen's, or both. At that moment, Jake had no answer.

Brian appeared to have come to the end of his workout and was striding toward the showers. Jake took a few beats before following. The doctor's shower was short, most likely just long enough to get the sweat off, rather than to let hot water beat at tired muscles. He dressed quickly, took a moment longer to make sure his hair was in order, and left the building. Jake felt no need to follow immediately. Roselyn's tracker was still attached to Brian's car. Jake could wait a few minutes, to avoid arousing any suspicions.

When Jake checked the readout for Brian's tracker, he was puzzled. The possibly not-so-good doctor was en route to neither his apartment, Ellen's, or the hospital where he worked. Jake began to drive the route himself, wondering what the ultimate destination might be.

Ellen Starcher had completed her morning's surgery. It had not been particularly complex. A resident could have done it. In fact, she had encouraged her resident to handle much of the procedure herself. Ellen had more than a little pride in bringing young women surgeons along. It had been hard to break into the men's club, and she enjoyed filling the female ranks. She found men's clubs distasteful in general. When she'd discovered that Ethan had joined Rounders, she had been furious, both at the existence of the place, and its implications.

Brian was more egalitarian. He took on an equal number of male and female protegés, and the passion he followed included both men and women, although more women, including herself, seemed attracted to it. She would be joining him at the meeting place as soon as she cleaned up.

Both Jake and Roselyn had trailed their quarries to the same building, unmarked except for the street number required by the post office. The only thing remarkable about it was the greenery around the border, and in the garden at the back. It was not the usual landscaping; hardy shrubbery and perennials surrounded by enough mulch to either completely eliminate weeding or make it infrequent. The plants here were green and obviously well cared for, but none of them looked familiar. Though they'd arrived at the same destination, Jake and Roselyn kept their missions separate, the likelihood being that they would have to go their separate ways, once one or both of their subjects left the building again. Both of them had transmitted the address to Alexis, who was in the process of researching the ownership of the building and whom the occupants might be. Both Brian and Ellen stayed for a couple of hours, then Jake and Roselyn followed them to their respective hospitals, where they both remained for the rest of the day.

* * *

Wikipedia wasn't the most reliable source, but it was the best one Alexis had found for Greening Spirit, the organization on record as owners of the building where Brian and Ellen had both turned up.

According to the article, which was annotated as needing sources and citations, Greening Spirit was founded by a group of health professionals unsatisfied with the efficacy of modern medicine. They didn't advocate abolishing it, just supplementing it with additional methods. They were particularly enthusiastic about herbal therapies, drawing from a number of sources, including traditional Chinese cures, Native American traditions, and even Wicca. Their members believed in exploring every avenue to support the welfare of their patients, and humanity in general. Alexis studied the page. She wasn't sure if she was reading about some legitimate paths for medical research, or a justification for quackery. The organization was private, so the finances involved were obscure, but she was used to obscure. She assumed that sooner or later, following the money would reveal Greening Spirit's true purpose.

* * *

Melissa Krautmeyer was planning her evening. The destination she had chosen was a karaoke bar. Usually she disliked them, finding most of the singing both off rhythm and off key. People even got the words wrong. She had no idea how they did that, when they were right up on the screen, but somehow it happened. From the reviews she'd seen, this place was different. The singers were nascent professionals, who often ended up in musical theater or in bands. The karaoke was merely to keep their presence in front of an audience while they pursued their paths to greater things. There was a possibility that they could achieve perfection.

Perfection had always been Melissa's siren call. She required it of herself in her own work, and always sought it in others. It was rare, too rare, but her pursuit of it was dogged. She'd thought she'd found it in Ethan Starcher. His professional record, as far as she could discern, was unblemished. She had re-autopsied a couple of his cases herself, and been unable to find an error. When she'd met up with him one night, she'd considered it nothing less than serendipity. The fact that he had a wife was irrelevant. She'd checked Ellen's record. There had been failures, unsubstantiated by the ignorant denizens of the courts, but failures nonetheless. Melissa had believed that Ethan deserved better, and she had given it to him. It was too bad that in the end he had proved to be a disappointment.

* * *

With her fiscal chase blurring before her eyes while yielding nothing, Alexis picked up the phone to call her father. "Dad have you ever heard of Greening Spirit?"

"The herbalist group?" Castle asked.

"That's the one," Alexis confirmed.

"I dug into them a little bit for Hell Hath No Fury," Castle recalled. "It turned out they were irrelevant to my story, or at least I thought so at the time. Having evil Wiccans out for blood led to my biggest bomb. Incorporating more benign characters might have made for a better book."

"Benign," Alexis repeated. "What do you know about them?"

"They seem genuinely interested in helping people, although many in the medical field feel they're misguided. I believe there have been a few clashes over the years that have made it as far as the courts. I think I saw a story not too long ago, at a check out counter."

"Dad, Alexis rebuked, "this isn't _Men in Black_. You can't believe that stuff."

"I know," Castle acknowledged, "although if James Gunn really was from another planet, I wouldn't be surprised. But the story I saw was about the government supposedly depriving people with some obscure disease of the right to be cured. Greening Spirit was the hero of the piece. A little reality might have crept in somewhere. It happens occasionally."

"Like a coin landing on edge," Alexis agreed grudgingly, "but I'll check the legal databases and see what I can find."

Castle could hear a hungry cry from Elizabeth in the background. "No, now my curiosity is peaked. Go ahead and do your mommy thing with my granddaughter. Kate set up access to all of those databases here. I'll see what I can find and let you know."

Alexis left the call, to nurse her daughter. Castle flipped open his laptop. "What have you been up to, Greening Spirit?" he muttered, as his fingers flew over the keyboard. His eyes widened. "Now that is interesting."

A/N Dear Guest, the eight seasons thing was meant to be a joke about Castle, which was on for eight seasons. Of course there are shows that have gone longer, longer even than _NCIS_ or _Law and Order_ , most notably _60 Minutes_ and _Meet The Press_. I was dropping a little Easter egg. Of course twelve years from now that landscape may change completely and Rick's comment would make more sense.


	203. Chapter 203

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 203

The bulging envelope had been delivered by the post office. There was no back address, and it was postmarked from Manhattan. It had gone through the usual scans to detect the presence of explosives or pathogens, before being taken to the bullpen, where now it balanced on Sully's desk, atop a pile of files and papers. There was nothing to identify it. It could have come from any stationary store. Sully handled it with gloves, just in case it or its contents would need to be fingerprinted.

It contained several thick files, labeled Ethan Starcher, Ellen Starcher, Brian Ellerby, Melissa Krautmeyer, and Nexis. Obviously it related somehow to the Starcher murder. It was interesting that there was no file on Sidney Perlmutter. A cursory examination of the files revealed them to be carefully written investigative reports. Sully had seen a similar format before, but it could easily be reproduced by a common software format. He suspected where the envelope had originated, but had no proof. He could and would chalk the information up to an anonymous tip. Starting with the file on Ethan Starcher, he began a careful perusal.

There wasn't much that was new about Ethan. Sully had already been aware that the man had been a womanizer. That supported a motive for Ellen, but nowhere to the level that a D.A. could seek a conviction. His people had uncovered Ellen's connection to Brian Ellerby as well. The relationship was interesting but not damning. Sully continued reading. Nexis was the file that counted. Sully had never heard of Greening Spirit, but as he read through the description of what had taken place in the courtroom, everything began to gel. If the information in the file was correct, he had a pretty good idea who the killer was. He wanted to talk to Ellen Starcher again, and maybe to Brian Ellerby. Most especially he needed to talk to Melissa Krautmeyer.

* * *

"Castle, what are you doing?" Kate asked.

"Making plans for our trip to the Hamptons for Labor Day. Lily is really looking forward to it as her final break before her program at Juilliard starts again, and the new term begins at Lagi's Trails. The boys inform me that they have come up with a new superhero version of Marco Polo."

"Aquaman," Kate inquired, "or are they going Marvel with Submariner?"

"Neither one," Castle replied. "They have their own characters. They've already story boarded them. Among other things, they spit water at each other."

"We'll definitely have to confine that to the pool," Kate declared.

"I have already so informed them," Castle agreed. "But their intentions are even more reason to plan other activities. We'll have to have our barbecue, of course, and build sand castles. Lily still likes collecting shells and there's going to be a family friendly music festival we can all go to. There's also a carnival to raise money for the families impacted by the last few nor'easters."

"A good cause," Kate offered. "Those have been getting worse and worse all the time."

"They have," Castle agreed. "It makes me glad that my unreasoning paranoia caused me to pick a beach house on higher ground. But in the smaller villages, the people didn't have that choice. There has been a lot of damage. A number of the fishermen lost their boats and their livelihoods. They're really struggling."

"Something I should look into when the Senate is back in session," Kate noted, "but that won't be for months. I'm glad something is being done now. It sounds like we'll have more than enough to fill a three day weekend."

Castle nodded at the outline on his screen. "That's the plan."

"Doctor Starcher," Sully began. "I know how difficult this time is for you and how busy you are, but there are things that have come up in this investigation that need clarification."

"Anything I can do to help, Detective," Ellen responded.

"Tell me about Greening Spirit," Sully requested, carefully observing her response.

Ellen was clearly startled. "I can't imagine what you think it might have to do with Ethan's death, but Greening Spirit is an organization devoted to improving patient outcomes by the addition of ancillary treatments, particularly the use of herbs. It's not as strange as you might think, Detective. Most modern pharmaceuticals originated as plant based cures of one kind or another. A friend, a highly respected fellow doctor, introduced me to the organization."

"Brian Ellerby?" Sully asked.

Ellen stiffened. "As a matter of fact yes. What does that have to do with anything?"

Sully's face remained bland. "Maybe nothing. How did your husband feel about these herbal treatments?"

"He was against them, at first, but there was a case in which he came to see their efficacy."

"The Browning case?" Sully questioned.

Ellen stared at him, increasingly puzzled. Then she nodded. "Yes. Courtney Browning was a patient with a very rare form of cancer, so rare in fact, that only a few cases have ever been reported. There was no specific protocol for its treatment, so standard methods were applied; surgery, chemo, immune therapy. Nothing worked for very long. Her tumors kept reappearing and spreading. Finally one of her doctors tried a Greening Spirit treatment as a Hail Mary. Courtney Browning died anyway. Ethan did an autopsy and concluded that Courtney would have died, with or without Greening Spirit. All her organs were shutting down and the end was inevitable, but the family sued. They claimed the herbs had hastened Courtney's death and they hired their own pathologist to do a second autopsy."

"Melissa Krautmeyer?" Sully inquired

"That's right," Ellen confirmed. "Melissa supported the Brown family. She claimed that the herbal treatment was improper and should never have been done. She was very insistent that only approved treatments should have been employed."

"And what was your husband's response to that?" Sully prompted.

"He testified that the herbs had not done any damage, that in fact Courtney's tumors had begun to shrink, and if she hadn't been so far gone when treatment started, it was possible that the herbs might have produced better result."

"And how did Melissa respond to that?" Sully queried.

"I wasn't there, but others from Greening Spirit told me that she was furious. She stood up in court and started yelling that he had betrayed the profession. The judge had to tell the bailiff to remove her."

Sully nodded. "Thank you Dr. Starcher. You've been very helpful."

* * *

Melissa Krautmeyer eyed the detective who sat across the table from her. He was far from perfect. She judged his body mass index to be well above optimal. There was also a spot of what looked like cream cheese on his tie. She had no idea what had drawn his attention to her, but she was sure that whatever it was, she could handle him with no difficulty. "Dr. Krautmeyer," Sully began, "were you acquainted with Ethan Starcher?"

"We'd met, Detective, professionally. There aren't that many forensic pathologists in this city. Most of us run into each other sooner or later."

"Yes I guess you would," Sully agreed. "You were on the same case, weren't you, Courtney Browning?"

Melissa shifted in her chair, crossing her legs. "Yes we were."

"Did you meet him before that?" Sully continued.

"We may have had a drink or two together. Detective, just what are you getting at?"

"Dr. Krautmeyer, according to video taken of the court proceedings, after Ethan Starcher gave his testimony, you were agitated." Sully pulled out a sheet of paper from a file in front of him. "Let me read this exactly. You screamed, 'You have betrayed our profession. You have betrayed me, and you should have your heart cut out.' Is the transcript correct?"

Melissa sank into her chair, crossing her arms across her chest. "I want a lawyer."


	204. Chapter 204

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 204

As he finished his cup of coffee for the road, Castle scanned the headlines, until a story drew him in. "Hey, Melissa Krautmeyer copped a plea. Turns out the incinerator at the lab where she worked had some security video. It caught her disposing of a heart, with no match to an autopsy. Lanie also matched Melissa's DNA to some found on Ethan's body. Added to Melissa's outburst in court, Sully had a strong case against her. Her lawyer got a shrink to weigh in that even though she's legally sane, her mental state offered some mitigating circumstances, so she's going to spend some time in a psych hospital before they send her off for second degree murder."

"She won't be picking up too many man in bars by the time she gets out," Kate opined.

"Oh, I don't know," Castle teased, "some of us have a taste for truly mature women." Kate's eyes shot daggers at her husband. "Women in the very flower of life," he added hurriedly."

"Good save," Kate commented. "How about Perlmutter? With all the work RCI did, things must have gotten expensive for him, or did the agency take the case pro bono?"

"No way he would have allowed that. Last thing that old curmudgeon wanted was to be beholden to me," Castle remarked. "We worked out a deal. He paid part of the bill, and from now on, until he's even, he's a consultant for RCI. His fees will get chalked up against his tab. As much of a pain in the ass as he is, he's a good M.E. I think it will work out for everyone, and so does Alexis."

Kate shook her head. "Perlmutter working for RCI. Who could have seen that coming?" Kate drank the last sip of her own coffee. "Is the car packed?"

"It is," Castle assured her. "As soon as we do our last minute round of bathroom trips, we'll be ready to take off."

It was a late summer New York day, hot and muggy. The air conditioning in the car was turned up to the maximum and Castle had made sure a stream of it was directed at Kate. The kids had their amusements for the trip. Lily's ear buds received the sound of the small electronic instrument on which she was composing her latest song. Reese was using a drawing program on his tablet, while Jake used a virtual keyboard, projected on a flip down table, to craft a story on his. Kate was letting the recording of a live concert of the latest jazz group to hit the New York music scene, stream through her earphones and scrub her brain, while Castle drove. Traffic was holiday heavy, but they were in no hurry. The housekeeper had stocked the kitchen, and lunch would be waiting whenever they arrived.

Even with their distractions, the twins were getting restless by the time the beach house came in sight. When they bounded out of the car, Kate had to call them back to grab their suitcases and other paraphernalia. Lily took charge of her own clothes and equipment, which left her parents with only the task of lugging their own luggage. Kate hadn't brought much. She'd favored cool, light clothing that could be paired with sandals, and she had a well stocked closet at the house in any case. Castle was more weighed down, having brought some reference materials for his latest story, on the off chance he had the time and ambition to work on it.

The lunch provided, prominently placed at the front of the refrigerator shelves, required no heating. Kate and Castle assembled sandwiches of cold cuts while Lily dished out assorted salads. Reese and Jake would have loved French fries, but Castle promised to buy some for them at the carnival, later that afternoon, preferably after the more stomach rattling rides.

* * *

The carnival was only a short drive. Kate encouraged a start with the video arcade and gentler rides until she was sure that lunches had been fully settled. Lily was tall enough for all the rides, but demurred on many of them in favor of a visit to the midway with Kate. The boys qualified for almost everything. Castle enthusiastically accompanied them for bumper cars, but after the Scrambler, decided to let them tackle the rest on their own, even while keeping an eagle eye out that the attendants were double checking that young riders were securely strapped in.

After the twins wolfed down the promised fries, the family met up at a wheel of fortune, where bets were placed to win Teddy bears. They found Kate and Lily with their arms full of the stuffed toys. Lily had listened to a few spins of the wheel and detected the changes in pitch as the wheel slowed down to a stop. After that, almost all her bets had been successful, drawing an enthusiastic audience. Some confessed that they had expected that the games would be rigged, but Lily's luck had convinced them that they weren't. All the nearby games began to fill with players as well. Kate would have felt a moment of guilt at the windfall resulting from her daughter's talented ear, but the money from the uptick in players was all going to the Nor'easter Fund.

Lily's booty was distributed among the other members of her family and transported back to the car. "What are you going to do with all of your new cuddly creatures, Sweetheart?" Castle asked.

"Lagi started a drive for stuffed animals for the police and the fire department to give to kids who see bad things or are in fires," Lily explained. "These should be almost enough to make the goal."

Castle rubbed his eyes to clear the moisture that flowed in response to his daughter's thoughtfulness. "Allergies," he explained, at Kate's inquiring glance.

Following the dose of asphalt reflected heat at the carnival, the whole family was ready for a dunk, if not a vigorous swim, in the pool. After the kids had dried off and retreated to their rooms, Kate and Rick shared iced tea from a pitcher the housekeeper had thoughtfully provided. "I'd planned our barbecue for tonight, but I'm considering rescheduling," Castle confided.

"It's been a nice day, but it has been long," Kate agreed. "Even the twins looked tired. Jake and Reese would never admit it, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're napping upstairs. So later, you want to take our horde out somewhere for dinner?"

"To tell you the truth, I'd rather order in," Castle admitted. "The kids would be happy with pizza and a movie. We can pick something G-rated. Then when they're down for the night, we could pour some wine and up the rating a little for ourselves."

"The rating for bloodletting or for sex?" Kate inquired.

Castle grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. "Bloodletting? Kate, we have enjoyed a little bondage now and then, but isn't that a little extreme? Or did you think I was talking about another movie? I was thinking more about a little holiday celebration of our own. It's the wrong month for fireworks, but I'm sure we can improvise."

"I'm sure we can," Kate agreed. "But Babe, if that's the plan, let's make the wine we pour, my special red."

"You're on. I don't think I saw any in the wine rack in the kitchen. I'll have to check in the storage room. I may have to open a new case.

"If you need to pry something up, I would be very happy to help," Kate purred.

Castle rose and offered his hand. "I may just take you up on that."


	205. Chapter 205

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 205

Saturdays were almost back to normal. Lily was back at Juilliard and the boys had resumed their Aikido classes. On thing had changed. Writing had begun on the pilot for Star Train. Castle was not entirely impressed by the previous work of the two main writers and had pushed Paula to demand script approval. He'd found a lot to ponder. He hadn't expected to have to worry about diversity. His abundance of strange aliens was about as diverse as one could get, but the powers-that-be wanted various segments of the potential viewership to be able to identify with a particular character. Castle considered that a little shallow. In his writing, he strove to have his readers identify with some deeper aspect of the human condition, not with outward appearance or origin. Love, hate, joy, and grief were universal. Still with the aim to reach as wide a demographic as possible, the writers kept proposing adding details that Castle felt were unnecessary and often unlikely. The back and forth was frustrating and he was developing a new respect for Patterson and Connelly for putting up with that many cooks trying to crowd around the pot.

As Rick and Kate sat in the parents' gallery while their sons were taken through the paces of their discipline, Rick scanned the new script pages on his tablet. They were better, or at least more subtle. The characterizations were more by attitude and philosophy than physical attributes. He would still have appreciated a bit more depth, but in six seven minute acts there was a limit to what could be done. He wished Star Train had been optioned by a streaming service, where the length and format wouldn't have been such an issue, but the cable network involved was one of the more respected ones, both for content and production values, so Paula had encouraged him, more like twisted his arm, to accept the restrictions.

Castle looked up when Kate touched his arm. It was Reese's and Jake's turn to spar. It was obvious that they were a bit rusty. Their attempts to throw each other were enthusiastic, but their rolls on landing not as smooth as they had been when their class took a break for the summer. Still, they looked pretty good. Rick could see the pride twitching at the corners of Kate's mouth. Even if their training was strictly for defense, the boys showed more than a touch of bad ass Beckett. However, if they continued growing the way they were, their physiques would be much like Rick's, maybe even like Hunt. Even as an artist and a writer, they would still be formidable, reflecting their namesakes. Kate flashed back to a time when their writer father had been pretty formidable too. He'd beaten the crap out of a deadly gunman, to save her life - even if he'd nearly broken his hand to do it. It had happened on the heels of their first kiss, and she'd fought so hard against admitting to herself that she was in love with him. She hoped that when Lily and the boys found love, they wouldn't waste as much time as she had.

Kate looked back at her husband. She imagined that for Lily, at least, finding love would be hard enough. Any boy would have to pass muster with him. From the tales about severed heads and antique guns she'd heard from Alexis, that would not be easy. Castle was no less protective of his younger daughter than he had been of his older one. Not that she didn't feel that way too. If a Rogan O'Leary ever got near Lily, she'd probably shoot him on sight, or at least do something very painful to his man parts. And Lily would have her own security squad in her brothers, as well. Romantic adventure might have to wait for a semester abroad. Kate wasn't sure she liked that idea either.

* * *

Lily was sharing a piano with Akamai Kahale. He was new at Juilliard. He had auditioned by video from Hawaii and been brought to New York by his father for his final tests. When he'd been admitted, he and his mother, father, and two sisters had moved to New York. Lily wasn't sure if she would have been willing to move that far for one of her brothers, but she could understand why the Kahale family had done it. Akamai was terrific. His hands were large, making it easy for him to span the chords, but they were also graceful. Most of all, a rhythm always seemed to flow through him, a little like drum beats did with Jake, only more so. It was in the way he moved, and the music he'd written was alive with it. Listening to a piece he'd written about his home island, she could feel the smashing of the waves against a cliff. Playing together, they meshed as if they'd been doing it their entire lives. Lily would have happily gone to Juilliard seven days a week to do that. Maybe she could invite him to her house to share her grand. Except for parties, she never had any boys visit but Nicholas and Bernard, and they didn't really count.

In a break while another duo played, Lily studied her partner. They were almost the same age. His skin was about the same color as Lagi's, with the same dark hair and eyes, but he wasn't round like Lagi. He was thin, fitting easily on the bench beside her. Akamai wasn't as beautiful as Colson Jennings. No one was as beautiful as Colson Jennings, but it didn't matter. There was something about Akamai that made her feel like part of her had been lost and he was the missing piece. Maybe she'd ask Mama and Daddy to invite the whole Kahale family to dinner. They were were new in New York. They couldn't have many friends yet. Then if she and Akamai got to play together, that would be really sepshal.

* * *

"Playing hostess to a new family in town is something different for Lily," Castle commented to Kate, as he watched his daughter fuss over place settings.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Babe, your radar is usually better than that. This is only about one member of the Kahale family. She hasn't stopped talking about Akamai since she she met him and she hasn't mentioned Colson Jennings in days. Your daughter has a new crush, and this is her way of getting some time with him."

"You're right," Castle realized. "I don't know how the hell I missed that. Too damn distracted with Star Train. I'll have to check this kid out, ask a few probing questions."

"Don't you dare scare him off," Kate warned. "It's way too soon to worry about things getting serious, but if you do anything to derail Lily's plans now, she may never forgive you. Let's just have a nice, cordial dinner with the Kahales, and see what happens. It's been a long time since we had anyone outside our usual circle over. Anyway, you love Hawaii. We'll have things to talk about. This could be fun."

Castle found that one of his favorite topics did come up over dinner. The Kahale family had a coffee plantation, which they'd put under the management of cousins when they'd moved. Castle enjoyed the discussion of blends, especially what might be complimentary to Kona. He invited Ahe Kahale, Akamai's father, to sample his own personal favorite and critique it, while they discussed the ins and outs of various brews. After a mocha dessert which the Kahale daughters savored, Lily invited Akamai to share her piano. When he slid in beside her, the magic of another perfect blend filled the air, and everyone in Castle castle could feel it.


	206. Chapter 206

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 206

Castle just wanted to go home, and due to a last minute cancellation, he was on an eastbound plane. With luck, he would be there in time to say goodnight to Lily and the twins, and have some one on one time with Kate. He understood the need for the PR tour. He had a lot to promote, with the Star Train book, the upcoming TV show, and the companion graphic novels. He'd enjoyed a lot of it. People had come dressed as Pirri and the various other regulars on the train. Some of the costumes had been pretty elaborate, requiring weeks or months of work. He'd had fun discussing his characters with new fans. There were some old hardcore Richard Castle followers who'd shown up as well. It was always nice to see them.

The interviews had been endless. There were a few for TV and radio, but they were mostly for podcast. With the miniaturization and improvements in sound equipment, it seemed like almost anyone could do one. He'd almost abandoned his coffee in favor of tea with lemon, and his voice was still tired. All of him was tired, really. The noise abatement take off, straight up out of John Wayne Airport, had knocked him for a loop. He'd almost forgotten about it. It never used to bother him, in fact, he'd liked it. Being pressed back in his seat like that had made him feel like he was blasting off in a spaceship. Sometimes he had pretended he was. Now it was just uncomfortable. He was almost glad he'd had to abandon his dreams of getting a seat on the first commercial shuttle to Mars. Jumping into space now, might be more nauseating than exciting. With his lust for adventure, Jake might want to go someday. On the other hand, research into quantum entanglement could lead to transporter development. A ship might not be necessary at all. Castle considered what would happen if there were ever transporters on earth. If he wrote about them, he would hardly be the first writer to explore the idea, but a new take on it might be possible. That would be for very future consideration. Right now, the Star Train, and everything that went with it, was more than enough to handle.

His tour wasn't all that was on his mind. It was almost Halloween. From what Kate had told him, and his conversations with the kids, Lily didn't care about doing much for the holiday this year, other than working on the spooky music she and Akamai were writing as a project for their composition class. If he'd understood what Lily had been telling him, Akamai had created an undercurrent of approaching doom, with rhythmic undertones that would increase in tempo as the piece progressed. Lily was doing themes that would weave in and out of that progression. Since it took both of them to play it live, she had played a recording of a small section of it for him. It was creepy enough to give him an involuntary shiver, so he'd judged they were doing their work well.

Reese and Jake were going all out. Reese had an instinctive grasp of negative space and had produced designs to be traced onto pumpkins, for carving by the less artistically gifted members of the family, as well as the other students at Lagi's Trails. Jake a had written ghostly skits, both for his fellow students, and to be played out by family members dispensing Halloween booty. He and Reese had also designed a costume for Cory, but so far, the dog wanted no part of it and headed straight for his dog door whenever anyone even came close, looking like they would try to put something on him, other than a leash.

Kate had assured Rick that she was keeping things together. She'd managed to schedule what she had to do outside the house, during school hours. She'd also had a neighbor on standby to watch the kids in case she got stuck in court, but it hadn't happened. Lily was pretty self-sufficient, and aside from the occasional disaster, so were the boys. Despite what she claimed when they'd Skyped, Castle had seen the frazzle in her face and heard it in her voice. All of his instincts to rescue her had kicked in full bore.

He would have like to catch a direct flight, but there were hardly any of them anymore. He was routed through Atlanta. His layover was long enough to be annoying but not long enough to consider leaving the airport. He'd been through several times on the tour already. One of the perks of his YOLO credit card was entre into the Captains' Club. That would at least mean access to a lounger large enough to accommodate his frame, and some decent food, while he waited for his connection.

It was ten P.M. when Rick finally made it home. The twins were asleep, but he looked in on them. He could have sworn they'd grown while he was gone. He'd have to make some new marks on the designated wall, and measure. Lily was still up. Inspiration had hit and she was composing a new theme. He received his welcome home hug, but she turned back to her keyboard quickly, before she lost her thread. Kate's kiss when he'd arrived had been warming but weary. Her mood matched his. He wasn't even going to think about unpacking much besides his toothbrush. The bedroom beckoned for a comfort cuddle and a good night's rest.

* * *

Cory started barking at three A.M.. "Oh no," Kate groaned. "I wonder if the Pumpkin Purloiner is at it again."

Castle struggled to achieve enough consciousness to understand what she was saying. "The what now? Who?"

"Neighborhood nuisance," Kate explained. "Jake came up with the name. Someone's been stealing Jack O'Lanterns off lawns and porches. There's been a marked unit cruising the neighborhood, but so far they haven't caught anyone. We lost a couple of pieces of Reese's artwork, and after that we stopped putting any more pumpkins out."

"Mm, yeah, I was surprised I didn't see any when I came home," Castle recalled. "So if we don't have anything out there to steal, why would Cory be barking and what would someone be doing here?"

"Filching from one of the neighbors, maybe," Kate speculated. "but I don't think they were going to put out any pumpkins until Halloween night, either." Kate reached for her phone to check the outside cameras. "I don't see anyone, but they could have come and gone, or be out of range. I should check it out."

"Or you should just let the cops do their jobs," Castle suggested. "Cory's stopped barking. Whoever it was must be gone. I vote we use what's left of the night to sleep."

Kate settled back into bed. "You're right. We can both use it. We can check on whatever our cameras recorded in the morning, and call the local precinct if there's anything worth sharing. So far, there hasn't been. The only thing we got before, was someone all in black who grabbed our pumpkins and ran, and no one is going to get CSU out here for a pumpkin thief.

The next morning, the college student driving the Lagi's Trails van, waved to Rick as Lily and the boys climbed aboard. "Mr. Castle, I saw something lying at the end of your drive. I drove around it. You might want to take a look. It's a sign or something."

Castle nodded his thanks. After the van departed, he walked down to the end of the drive. "Welcome Home," was painted on a piece of plywood in block letters. Castle picked it up and brought it into the house. He held it up for Kate to see. "Nice gesture. Who made it? It doesn't look like Reese's or Jake's lettering."

Kate's brow furrowed. "It isn't, and Lily didn't make that and neither did I. No one except the kids and I knew you were coming home last night. Video or not, we should call the precinct. Babe, I think you might have a stalker."


	207. Chapter 207

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 207

"Kate," Castle pointed out, "I've had fans tracking my movements for decades, and with Star Train, there is a new and even more electronics centered generation of them. Someone could have spotted me at the airport and tweeted about it or put out an Instagram. 'Welcome Home,' is hardly a threat. An admirer might just have been trying to make a sweet gesture."

"Someone who knows where you live?" Kate questioned.

If it wasn't someone in the neighborhood, they could have gotten our address from public records. RCI does that all the time. Doing that kind of a search might be a little stalkery," he mused, "but that still wouldn't mean that they intend to do any harm."

"That's what the cops will say, too," Kate realized, shoving her hair back in the way that always signaled her frustration.

"Look, Kate, where the security of this house and you and our children is concerned, no one is more paranoid than I am. How about if I get Big Jake and Big Reese out here to check out our system and do whatever upgrades they think might help," Castle suggested. "It looks like we could at least use a couple more cameras. Would that sooth your fevered brow?"

"It won't protect you when you're on the road, but it's better than nothing," Kate conceded.

* * *

Scarlett Price studied the video she'd taken of the ridiculous Castle mansion. It had been twenty years since Richard Castle had helped the cops slap the cuffs on her. Because of him, she'd spent those years in hell. She would still be there, if a former client hadn't risen high enough in the political ranks to secure her release. Blackmail could be so useful.

She'd had a long time to consider her revenge. She'd considered a honey trap. After running a prostitution ring, she certainly knew how to set one up. Unfortunately for her, to all appearances, the former playboy was actually faithful to his damn ex-cop wife. He'd started a second family and was a poster boy for domestic bliss. Well, there were other ways to get to a man. She would make him feel the agony she'd felt at every violation that her beauty, her advantage in the outside world, had caused her to suffer behind bars. She'd have all the resources she needed to get it done. The records she'd secreted away were already serving as a treasure trove, and she was just getting started.

* * *

Eva's pregnancy was no longer a secret. It hadn't taken Alexis long to figure it out, and the baby bump was now discernible. It was a relief. Now, Eva could openly discuss her plans. The class she'd taken that summer had not been the exhilarating experience she'd been anticipating, but with all the sweating she'd done over her weekly papers, she had earned an "A." anyway. She hadn't been swayed from her goal of getting a degree, she'd just do most or all of it online. If there were any more Professor Parkers, at least they'd be limited to her screen, and she'd fit her classes in whenever she could. She'd have more time with Reese, too.

Eva was in the Manhattan office that day, working on case reports from Roselyn, Javi, and Kevin. Reese and Jake were in Fieldston at the Castle house. Reese had said that it had to do with upgrading the security system. Eva could understand that. She'd only been there a couple of times, for RCI get-togethers, but she'd loved the place. Family permeated the atmosphere and she could tell that both Rick and Kate would do anything to protect their children. She had no idea how much there might be to tempt a thief, but she had noticed several first editions among Rick's books and suspected there were other collectibles in the house as well. Rick's net worth was never discussed, but it was obvious that money was not in short supply. Not that Rick acted like she'd always imagined rich people would act. More often then not, when he dropped into RCI, he was wearing a plaid shirt, jeans, and sneakers, rather than a fancy suit. She'd heard he had a taste for fine dining, but he'd always seemed happy sharing hamburgers or pizza. And he treated the detectives at RCI like friends, not employees. He certainly didn't behave the way the rich were portrayed on TV soaps. When she'd gone to work for RCI, that had been a relief.

* * *

Reese Perkins and Jake Pullman walked the grounds of Castle castle after having carefully examined the schematics of the security system. There were a few blind spots that needed cameras, and the cameras themselves were a generation behind. The newest ones would instantly switch from visible light to infrared, depending on what the situation required. They could put a motion detector at the doggie door too, calibrated to only be triggered by something larger than Cory. The changes would not be extreme and wouldn't take more than a couple of days, if that, to implement. It would depend on how fast they could get the equipment.

The men had timed their visit with an eye toward seeing their namesakes when they arrived home from school. They intended to monitor the transition from vehicle to house, of all three of the Castle children. They would be assuring that there would be no opportunities for abduction, but they also just wanted to see the kids. The boys were rambunctious, but generally stayed within the bounds of reasonable behavior. Mostly, their superhero imaginings were just fun. Having recently learned that the child Eva was carrying would be a boy, Reese considered the youngsters as a possible preview of the future. Nicholas Ryan, Manuel Esposito, and Bernard Kasparov were as well, but he felt a special affinity for the Castle twins.

As if responding to his thought, a van with Latu's Trails stenciled on the side, pulled into the long drive leading up to the house. Reese noted with satisfaction that the new camera placements he and Jake planned, would cover every inch of its transit. When the children disembarked, they'd be immediately picked up by the house cameras. He made a mental note to make sure a zoom could focus on the face of the driver, in case a substitute was at the wheel for some reason.

The twins jumped out and immediately spotted the men, shouting their shared names. Lily followed with more dignity, and worked the combination for the front door, while the boys bombarded the two detectives with questions. While Reese engaged the twins, Jake checked to make sure the van driver had no clear view of the sequence Lily entered. Some form of shield over the touch pad wouldn't hurt, neither would the addition of a spoken password.

The whole group proceeded into the house. Lily retreated to her room to call Akamai, to share an inspiration that had struck her while she was at school. The twins divided their time between stuffing their mouths with "Secret Nutrition Cookies," and continuing to question the visitors. Finally, Kate herded the boys to their room to start their homework, and Reese and Jake the bigger, gave their recommendations to both Rick and Kate.

When the presentation was finished, Rick's look silently solicited Kate's opinion. "Looks good," she offered.

"Just get it all done as quickly as possible," Rick instructed. "Whatever you have to do."

* * *

From a high window in a house down the street, Scarlett had observed the proceedings outside the Castle house, through a powerful lens. She wasn't much of a lip reader, but it looked like Castle might be doing something to bolster his home security system. She wouldn't be leaving any more love notes in his driveway. She smiled to herself. It didn't matter. There were plenty of things she could do to him that wouldn't involve breaching Castle walls. She'd just have to get to work.


	208. Chapter 208

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 208

"What do you mean you're quitting?" Castle exclaimed. "You're the Castle Press marketing manager and we're in the middle of a campaign."

"I'm really sorry. I hate to leave you in the lurch like this," Grant Capeheart apologized. "I just have - personal issues - that I can't go into, Rick. I really have no choice."

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" Castle asked.

"No. It's my fault," Capeheart admitted. "I got myself into something a long time ago and now I have to get myself out."

"Are you sure?" Castle persisted. "Richard Castle Investigations helps with all sorts of, shall I say, delicate, situations."

"I'm sure, Rick. Look, with all your contacts you can find someone else. But again, I'm really sorry."

Castle shook his head as he hung up the phone. Damn! Of all days! It was Halloween and a Star Train blitz was scheduled to chug across the internet. Capeheart was supposed to be in charge of its launch. Rick would really have to hustle to pick up the slack. Paula could help, but still, making sure everything went off as intended, could put a serious crimp in the Castle family Halloween plan. He was supposed to help the twins do their final preparations for the night's festivities. Now carving out the time for that would be more difficult than the most intricate cuts in a Jack O'Lantern. Kate might be able to step into the breech, but she also had her own agenda for the day. This was not a good start to one of his favorite holidays.

* * *

Grant Capeheart gazed up at a smirking Scarlett Price, who'd been listening in on his call. "All right. I did what you asked. Do I get the pictures now?"

Scarlett considered for a moment. "You get half of them. I'll hold on to the rest, and if you ever say anything about me to Castle, they will not only go to your wife, but they will be plastered across the internet. Some of those positions might even be interesting enough to go viral."

Capeheart shuddered. "I won't say a word. I swear."

Scarlett patted the top of his head. "Yes, that's a good little doggie."

* * *

Castle put down his phone and checked the time. The Castle Press disaster had been mitigated - he hoped. He'd viewed the first video on the Castle Press website and on YouTube. It looked good. For some reason, the tweet storm that Capeheart was supposed to have pre-arranged, never happened. Castle had to take it to another provider. All of that had brought him almost to the time the van was supposed to arrive. The rest of the afternoon and the evening would be tight, at best. He could still get everything done, if he took no time to eat or pee. Breathing might be problematical as well. If evil spirits had decided to haunt Castle castle, they were doing a good job.

Kate had her own complications. She had received what was supposed to have been an emergency message from FTC. When she got there, she found out that FTC had been spoofed and there was no such message. She and Maria had pulled in a volunteer IT person to strengthen their security protocols, and Kate was on her way back, but it meant that she'd accomplished nothing at home. Without her help, Rick's already bad day would just be worse.

* * *

It was the first Halloween at both Kasparov and Ryan houses. Early in life, Alexis had caught her father's enthusiasm for cosplay. It had waned for a while when she'd graduated college and taken over the management of RCI, but had waxed again after Bernard was born, and with Elizabeth and their new home, was now in full gear. Sergei would be working. Halloween was always a challenging night for the N.Y.P.D. and CSU, but she could handle things on her own. Dressed as the red-headed goddess Morrigan, she took a miniature Sherlock Bernard around the neighborhood early, pushing an elfin Elizabeth in her stroller. She'd put out a bowl of candy on the doorstep, with instructions to take one, for any children who came by before she returned. When she and her brood made it home, she was gratified to see that the bowl was still there and its contents had not completely disappeared. The local ghosts and goblins had shown some restraint, or had at least been restrained. Inside, she still had the kind of full sized candy bars her father had always given out, ready for the older kids who made the later rounds. She'd given some thought to handing out healthy treats, or something like school supplies, but she remembered that Gram had talked her father into that one year, and the door of the loft had ended up covered with toilet paper and raw eggs. She'd give no tricker treater cause for complaint. In Castle tradition, the Kasparov house would be one of the good places. She never gave a second look to a parent sized witch who passed by, trailing along behind a line of children.

* * *

Ryan was sure it was Javi. Who else would have sent him a message to go to RCI - RCI in Manhattan - on Halloween night? Nicholas had thrown a party for his friends from his new high school. Ryan should have been there to help keep the festivities down to a dull roar, instead of leaving the task to Jenny, but emergencies did come up. The problem was, there was no emergency. RCI was closed for the evening. When he called Javi, his friend swore up and down that he hadn't sent Kevin a message. Maria had been tied up, and he'd taken over candy dispensing duties while Manuel joined the kids of their next door neighbor to score his own haul of treats. Ryan checked with Alexis, Roselyn, Eva, both Jake and Reese, Castle, and the receptionist. No one knew anything about any message. Clearly he'd been pranked, and it had been well done. The meta data on the message gave no clue to the sender. It was puzzling and disturbing. He'd look deeper into it in the morning, but for now he'd have to get home as fast as he could, to help his wife.

* * *

Tired as Castle was, it was a long time before he and Kate could settle into bed. The boys were bouncing off the walls and took hours to calm down. That was to be expected. But there was also the fact that both Kate and Kevin had received phony messages. The couple both wondered if there was a connection, and if so what. The number of questionable characters that they had both been involved with over years was high, and many of them could have enlisted someone with the skills to make it happen. But why? If someone had a grudge, coming after them with a knife or a gun would make more sense. If 3XK had still been around, they might have suspected him, but they had both watched Jerry Tyson's body being cremated. The two of them had held each other through the night, afterward. Clearly, the incidents had originated with someone else, or multiple someone elses. In the end, their working theory was that the day, including the precipitous departure of Grant Capeheart, was a series of random unfortunate events. They'd had much worse days and made it through just fine. Castle wrapped his arms around Kate as she spooned against his body. Midnight was past, and so was Halloween. He hoped the other upcoming other holidays would arrive with fewer glitches.


	209. Chapter 209

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 209

Alexis scanned the family section of the local paper. There was a report that some of the children had ended up with candy laced with hot pepper. It wasn't dangerous, but it had been unpleasant enough for their parents to take note. Some had even taken their children to the emergency room, just to make sure they hadn't been poisoned. No one was sure exactly where the sabotaged treats had originated. They were a type of fun sized bar a number of households had handed out. Alexis studied the picture that accompanied the article. It wasn't the kind of candy she'd put in her bowl, but she had found a piece there when she'd returned from taking Bernard on his rounds. She'd assumed one of the neighborhood kids had dropped it in by mistake.

An ugly sensation gripped her gut. Maybe it had been left by someone with more sinister intentions. Perhaps her unattended bowl had been the mode of distribution of the doctored confections to the victims. She kicked herself for thinking she could leave treats, even safe and sealed ones, unmonitored. The offending candy could have been contaminated with something a lot worse than hot pepper. She forced herself to take a deep breath. She'd only found one orphan piece, and it might just have been a coincidence. She decided to bag it and give it to Sergei for analysis. If it was clean, she had nothing to worry about. If it wasn't - she'd have to consider the next step.

* * *

November had blown in more like winter than fall. The cold front that arrived after Halloween had frosted the windows and the lawn of the Castle castle, lending the day an even colder feel than the temperature might dictate. Castle had started the kids out with hot cocoa, generously enhanced with full sized marshmallows. When their offspring been dispatched to Latu's Trails, he and Kate shared a moment of down time, spiking their own chocolaty mugs with both enough coffee for a mild jolt, and a spritz of whipped cream.

"This is nice," Kate sighed, using a fingertip to remove a stray bit of creamy white from her upper lip, and sticking it in her mouth.

"Especially, after yesterday," Castle agreed. He raised his cup. "To a sweet start."

Kate touched her mug to his as the front doorbell buzzed. Castle checked his phone for an image of their visitor. "Fed Ex," he reported. "Someone must have shelled out for early delivery."

"I wasn't expecting anything, were you?" Kate asked.

"No," Castle replied, "but I get stuff overnighted to me all the time, and it's our regular guy."

"Use the intercom to tell him to wait a minute," Kate instructed, before going to retrieve her gun from her gun safe."

Castle shrugged, but did as she'd asked. Kate held the gun behind her as Castle opened the door. "Express letter for you, Mr. Castle," the uniformed messenger reported, extending his tablet for a signature.

Castle used the stylus to affix his name and accepted the envelope.

"Probably more papers to sign for the Star Train deal," Castle speculated, closing the door. "the back address is some law firm."

"Just be careful," Kate cautioned. "Put some gloves on."

"Like back in the old days, when we were going through my fan mail," Castle recalled. "Our first case together."

Kate rolled her eyes. "And almost our last."

Castle opened a cabinet under the sink and pulled out a pair of thin blue nitrile hand coverings, then proceeded to open his missive. He winced.

"What's wrong?" Kate asked anxiously.

"Just a paper cut," Castle assured her. "Sharp little bugger, sliced right through my glove." He examined the sheaf of papers. "Hell, I don't know why anyone sent this. I signed this agreement weeks ago. Maybe it's just an executed copy. That would hardly make it worth early delivery, but those law firms will do anything run up their charges."

"Hey!" Kate interjected, "lawyer standing right here. But you're right. Some of my more mercenary colleagues might consider sending this worth about a quarter of a billable hour. That could be charged at over a hundred bucks."

"Nice work if you can get it," Castle commented. "Now, I think I'm going to finish what's left of the famous Castle mocha cocoa and see if I can't do something that might be worth a couple of bucks myself. Do you have to be in court today?"

"Mm." Kate acknowledged, "but I need to go by FTC first. I should be back by dinnertime."

"I'll look forward to it," Castle said.

* * *

Alexis and Ryan put their heads together over the message he had received the day before. "Definitely a spoof," Alexis declared, staring at her computer screen. "Looks like it was routed all over the world. Whoever did this was good."

"It makes no sense," Ryan insisted. "It would, if someone was trying to get me out of the house to rob it or something. But nothing happened. It was like a stupid joke."

"Like the hot pepper Halloween candy," Alexis mused. "It's like we're both being gas lighted. Maybe someone has a hate on for RCI. That's the main connection between the two of us."

"Maybe someone has something against your father," Ryan speculated. "It's his name on the door and it wouldn't be the first time someone came after him."

"That's true," Alexis agreed. "I'll check with him and Kate and see if anything strange has happened to them. I'm supposed to be talking to Dad later anyway, for our regular update. I can ask him then. And it's usually easiest to reach Kate in the evening."

* * *

Castle hunched over in his desk chair and rubbed his abdomen. Maybe he was getting too old for large infusions of sugar in the morning, but cocoa had never bothered him before. If anything, it was usually soothing. One of the kids could have brought a bug home, but from the way they, even Lily, had shoveled down their breakfasts, he doubted it. His distress could be the effects of some of the leftover Halloween candy he'd downed the night before. He might just need some rest to shed the effects. He hadn't had much lately. Lifting his head, he regarded his screen. His output since Kate left had not been the height of creativity. A nap, in the less vigorous meaning of the word, might be just what he needed. He could slip off his shoes, climb between the seasonally colored pumpkin sheets for a while, and hope that he'd arise with new energy. Grunting, he pushed himself up to a stand, and trudged to the bedroom.

* * *

Scarlett tracked her envelope on the Fedex website. It had been delivered and signed for by Richard Castle. She smiled in satisfaction. Good. She'd never been that fond of potatoes. Maintaining the perfect contours of her body had been to essential to her livelihood as a free woman, and in prison she'd been fed way too many of them. But at that moment she'd come to appreciate them. What they'd given her would probably not kill Castle, but he would be miserable. That was the point of everything she was doing. He and his family and friends would be miserable and confused, and they wouldn't have a clue about where their troubles were coming from or what to do about them. Her smile widened to a grin. She would enjoy every second of their pain.


	210. Chapter 210

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 210

Alexis' ring struggled to penetrate the muzziness of Castle's brain. Eyes still closed, he reached for his phone. "Alexis, What's going on?"

"Dad, it's two o'clock, I'm supposed to be giving you the RCI update. Are you all right? You sound funny."

Castle pulled himself up, leaning against his pillow and the headboard. If anything, his gut was complaining more than it had been when he'd laid down. "Something didn't sit right with me this morning. It's probably nothing. So, any new, fascinating, or at least lucrative cases?"

"More like strange and disturbing." Alexis quickly filled him in on the Halloween candy and Ryan's false summons. "Anything weird happen to you or Kate?"

"Maybe both of us," Castle realized, explaining Kate's summons to FTC and his early morning envelope. "Cut myself on the damn papers," he added.

"And you started feeling sick after that?" Alexis pressed.

The implication shocked Castle's brain to alertness. "Yeah."

"Dad, you should get to a hospital. Don't even wait to try to reach Kate. I'll do it. Get in a cab and go!"

"No. Wait. Lily and the boys will be coming home in a couple of hours."

"Dad, I'll get over there and stay with them. Just go!"

* * *

The attending physician eyed Kate skeptically. "Mrs. Castle, nothing was found on the initial screening. As we get older the digestive system doesn't work the way it did. What makes you think your husband was poisoned?"

"That's Senator Beckett," Kate corrected, "the Senator Beckett that sits on the committee that helps fund this hospital. I spent a lot of years as a detective, doctor, and I know suspicious circumstances when I see them. Now if your lab is not equipped to handle this, I certainly know who is."

"No no, not necessary, we can run supplementary tests," he hurriedly assured her. "You can sit with your husband until we get some results. I'll send someone to you as soon as we know anything."

"Thank you," Kate ground out, with a tight smile.

Her face had softened, by the time she pulled up a chair at Castle's bedside. "How are you doing Babe?"

"I've been better. They started giving me some joy juice for the pain but then they cut it back, something about my respiration being depressed. But Kate, I don't get it. As a mystery writer, I made a study of poisons, especially after what happened with that toxin in DC. There are things that could have been in that envelope that could have put me in the grave by now, or at least well on my way. Why just give me a stomach ache and make me a little short of breath?"

"We don't know what was in it yet. I had to give the hospital a kick in the ass to make them find out," Kate relayed. "I hope that's all the stuff's going to do. But whoever did this is seriously disturbed person."

"Kate with the people we've run across over the years, that doesn't cut the list of suspects down much," Castle noted. "Did you check with Alexis? Are the kids okay?"

"The kids are fine," Kate assured him. "For now, Alexis just told them you had an emergency. She has Elizabeth with her and Lily is playing junior mama. The senior Kasparovs picked up Bernard at school and Sergei is meeting Alexis at our place to pick up the papers for analysis. He already ran the mysterious candy. It had the hot pepper in it. His data has been turned over to the precinct in Greenpoint, but since no one was hurt, it's not exactly top priority."

"Maybe that's the idea," Castle mused. "You have a series of events that might be dismissed as coincidence, and even if they're not, wouldn't merit any kind of full press investigation. They're just designed to drive us crazy."

"But they've escalated fast," Kate pointed out. "In a few days it's gone from the welcome home sign in the driveway to poison legal documents."

"Aren't they all?" Castle quipped.

"Rick, be serious. We have no idea where this is going next, who's going to be hit, or how. Whoever our perp is, could be working up to a bullet. Hell, we don't even know what that cut put into your bloodstream yet."

"Hey, one step at a time," Castle urged. "That's how we've always done it, right? So what do we do first?"

"You don't do anything," Kate insisted, "at least until your test results come back. I want to go back through the files of our old cases - if I can talk the N.Y.P.D. into giving me access."

"No need," Castle said. "I made exhaustive records and notes of all of them. Research, remember? That's how so much of that stuff ended up in my books. Anyway, I've got them on a drive in my study. They're encrypted. The password is Hot Detective, first letters upper case, with three exclamation points."

"Cute, Castle."

"Hey, when I started the files, I'd just met you, or thought I had. You hadn't told me about the book signing. You have to admit it was an accurate, if preliminary, description. Still is."

Kate tried to suppress a smile. "Alright, Castle, when I get back to the house, I'll go through your versions of our case files, but I'm going to stay here until the test results come back."

Castle reached out a hand to grasp hers. "Thanks."

* * *

"Solanine," Castle repeated, "what the hell is solanine?"

"It's an alkaloid, a chemical, found in plants from the nightshade family," orange lab coated chief laboratory technologist Carl Beller explained.

"Nightshade, like belladonna?" Castle asked. "Why is my heart still beating?"

"That's only one of the plants, Mr. Castle. Solanine's in tomatoes and particularly in potatoes. It tends to concentrate in the ones that have greened. People think the green is harmful, but it isn't. It's just chlorophyll, but the solanine can concentrate near the skin of the potato, so the green can be a telltale. Usually there isn't enough there for eating potatoes to be fatal, but it can be extracted and concentrated by someone with the proper equipment. Some studies say it can cause birth defects it pregnant women." Beller winked. "In your case I don't think we have to worry about that. The solanine will work its way out of your body in time, and we'll just give you supportive treatment for your symptoms until it does. We'll do our best to keep you comfortable."

"That's a relief, I guess," Castle responded.

"I'll just leave you to get some rest," Beller said, turning to head for the door.

Kate leaned over the bed to plant a gentle kiss on Castle's lips. "Someone with the resources to extract poison from potatoes. That should narrow it down."

"Or someone who knows someone with the resources to do it," Castle suggested. "You know, Grant Capeheart quit the same day you got your phony message. Maybe our unknown person...we need to think of a name. How about Spudnik?"

Kate couldn't help laughing.

"Anyway," Castle continued, "what if Spudnik knows lots of different kinds of people in lots of different professions and has some kind of dirt on them that can be used as leverage. Whom have we dealt with who'd be in a position like that?"

"I don't know, Babe," Kate replied, "but I'm going to find out."

"You could copy my files onto both our laptops, so I can go through them too," Castle proposed. "Four eyes are better than two."

"If you're up to it," Kate agreed.

"Kate," Castle teased, "you know, very few things have gotten me up as fast as working a case with you."


	211. Chapter 211

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 211

"Castle, I can't be talking to you," Capeheart exclaimed.

"Grant, why the hell not?" Castle pressed. "Are you being threatened by someone?"

"No, yes. Rick just stay out of it."

"Grant, I can't," Castle insisted. "Whoever it is may be coming after me, my wife, my family, even my friends. I need to know. If we can put whoever it is away, you'll be safe too."

"Rick, I am sorry. You have no idea how sorry I am, but I just can't." Capeheart terminated the call.

Castle stared at the phone. Who was Spudnik? Who was Capeheart involved with? He turned back to his computer, newly loaded with files, and open on his blanket covered lap. With no help from Capeheart, he'd have to carefully examine each case. Kate was looking at them too, but even with his need for reading glasses, he still read a lot faster than she did. He also approached things from a different angle. He and Kate had solved almost 200 cases together before she'd left the force, and there were a few mysteries that had come later, as well. It was a lot to wade through. On the other hand, unless he wanted to sit around catching up on soaps and game shows, he didn't have anything better to do until the doctors were willing to send him home. And when they did, he wanted to be able to hit the ground running, or at least at a grimacing walk.

He scanned through his notes from the beginning. Murderous scions, nannies, Vondoo practitioners, schoolboys, kidnappers, none of them seemed to fit the bill. Their circles were too limited and the potential for blackmail hardly existent. Suddenly, a scene from a movie jumped into his head. Richard Gere was asking Julia Roberts if she'd known a lot lawyers, to which she replied, "I've known a lot of everybody." She had been playing the archetypal prostitute with a heart of gold. Personally, he liked the one portrayed on an unaired episode of that Joss Whedon space show, better, but Julia's comment rang true. A prostitute did know a lot of everyone. Not that he and Kate had worked Vice, but there was one murderous one he recalled with complete mortification. She had certainly excelled in manipulation. She'd taken him in, big time. He'd actually thought he was rescuing her. But she was supposed to have been put away for life. Unless …."

He crossed his fingers that he could get a good enough signal from the hospital's spotty patient wi fi, to access the database he needed. Public pressure had demanded public listings of released criminals. Castle'd had mixed feelings about it at the time, believing that if someone served their sentence, they deserved a chance to live their lives without constant scrutiny. Now he wasn't so sure. He entered the name he needed to find and the information he was searching for flashed on the screen. His jaw clenched. She was back on the street. No doubt every dirty secret in her trick book was back with her, and if past experience was any judge, she had pictures too - lots of pictures.

Rick redialed Grant Capeheart. He'd hardly expected anything else, but his call went to voicemail. Castle made his message short. "All I need is a yes or no. Scarlett Price."

Two hours later, Castle received a text, "Yes."

* * *

Slumping in a chair near Castle's bed, Kate exhaled heavily. "The N.Y.P.D. isn't going to go after Scarlett Price. Since Capeheart won't talk to them, there is zero evidence. Her release was unconditional. She isn't on parole, so she doesn't have to report in. She could be anywhere. We've got nothing, Babe."

"I'm not so sure," Castle mused. "With her sentence, they should have thrown away the key. Someone had to arrange to have her sprung, someone pretty high up. But whoever it is, couldn't just walk in and give the order. There has to be a paper trail somewhere. I can put Ryan on it. He's already been a target and his fingers on the keys are swift and sure."

"Swift and sure?" Kate repeated. "You've been away from spilling your words on the page, too long."

"The doctor said I should be able to get out of here tomorrow. Perhaps I'll have some time to return to Pirri's voyage among the stars. Thanks to Scarlett, I wasn't making the best of his journey, even before I temporarily set him adrift. But first things first, we need to track her down before she can do anything else."

"Amen to that," Kate agreed.

* * *

There was no one at FTC to hear the smoke alarms scream. In a way, that was was fortunate. The origin of the fire had been in the daycare area. If the kids had been there, the tragedy might have been unimaginable. As it was, by the time the N.Y.F.D. had quenched the flames, the damage to the facilities was still a disaster. The effects on the clients who used them, could be crippling. Maria and Kate surveyed the ruin for whatever could be saved. Insurance would allow them to rebuild, but until then, they would be scrambling to provide services any way possible. They had called on Jenny, every staff member, and every volunteer, but the undertaking would still be huge. Castle had offered the Old Haunt as a temporary war room and already had his real estate agent and all her associates searching for available usable space. As high as the occupancy rate was in New York City, it would not be an easy task.

Fortunately, Kate had kept copies of her legal files in her office at home. She would be able to continue her casework uninterrupted, but everything else had been thrown into chaos.

The fire department had declared the fire to be arson, and not the most skilled job of it. The question that stabbed at Kate's mind was whether it was tied to Scarlett Price, or was an unconnected crime. As far as continuing the services of the center was concerned, any ties Scarlett might have to perpetrator didn't matter. To her and to Castle personally, they mattered a hell of a lot.

The good news, if it could be regarded as such, was that the ineptitude of the arsonist had left a signature. He could be traced and found. And when he was, if he was working for Scarlett, a deal could be offered for flipping on his boss. If the destruction of FTC had been commissioned by the former hooker, she might just have burned herself in the process.

* * *

Delia Burton examined an email detailing the analysis of the accelerant and trigger used in setting the FTC fire. It was definitely old tech. She hadn't seen anything like it since about 2014, and the guy who'd used it, Arnie Klempt, had his ass hauled off to jail. She brought up his file on her screen. Uh huh, the little jerkoff was out, early release for good behavior. Obviously it hadn't lasted long. Well, it would be up to the N.Y.P.D. to bring him in, so Delia's testimony could send him back behind bars again. She picked up the phone to call Lieutenant Marcia Cram, who was running the investigation out of the fifty-fourth. After a quick update, Delia forwarded the lab results and Klempt's file. The firebug had never been known for his brains, more like for his obsession with bragging about his fiery exploits to hookers. Delia doubted that it would take long for Cram to track him down.


	212. Chapter 212

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 212

Ryan and Esposito had both had to call in favors for clues as to where to look for the person behind Scarlett Price's release. Part of the problem was that their contacts tended to be in the ranks, and her release had been arranged at a higher level - a much higher level. In the end, the complications of the political hierarchy had necessitated a call to Beckett. At least she knew the players, and had connections who had pointed her in the direction of the lieutenant governor.

Scarlett's sentence had been quietly commuted, making her a free woman, accountable to no one. Normally, such a move could only have been engineered by the governor, but Hodgekins had suffered a serious bout with pneumonia, and while he was out of commission, the acting governor, Lt. Gov. Portnoy Haskins, had quietly rammed the paperwork through. It wasn't much of a leap to figure out what Scarlett might have on Haskins. Not only was his well preserved wife considerably older than he, she came from serious old money. She and her ties in patrician society had been responsible for his political ascent and for financing his campaigns. A records search showed that their luxurious home, the Mercedes, and the Ferrari, were all in her name. If she cut him loose, not only would his career be in tatters, he would be practically penniless. It was plausible that Scarlett could have arranged to put him in a compromising situation; then when he rose to a useful position, used the evidence to extricate herself from prison. It was more than plausible, it was likely.

Ryan scrubbed a hand over his face. The connection to Haskins was interesting, but he didn't see how it would be helpful. There was nothing illegal about the commutation of a sentence. If questioned, Haskins could always chalk it up to christian mercy for a fallen woman and quote John 8:7 about throwing stones. It would be nothing a politician hadn't done before - and gotten away with. There was no reason for Haskins to give up Scarlett and every reason he wouldn't. Maybe Kate could come up with some political pressure she could bring to bear, but Ryan had no idea what it might be.

* * *

In the normally dead hours, early in the day, the Old Haunt was fully occupied. Each table contained at least one person with a cell phone and/or a laptop, trying to coordinate replacement services for FTC clients. The bar's staff was providing coffee and donuts, courtesy of the proprietor, but no one was taking much time for a break. Maria was keeping a white board of what was accomplished, to avoid duplicated efforts. Fortunately the space on it was rapidly filling up.

* * *

Kate had gotten Lily and the twins off to school, before going to the hospital to pick up Castle. The paperwork seemed to drag out even longer than usual. From a whispered conversation she'd overheard in the hall, the administration had been intimidated enough by Kate's financial clout, that they were taking care to dot every "i" and cross every "t" to make sure she would have no complaints about her husband's care. Their conscientiousness was something she and Rick both appreciated, but on an incredibly busy day, it was gumming up the works. She would be taking care of Castle at the house until she was sure he would be fine on his own, but she had stacks of work on her desk to go through while she was there, and waiting around the hospital was not helping. Finally a smiling aide appeared with a tablet ready for a signature, and a wheelchair to ferry Rick to the parking lot.

Kate had brought Rick's favorite new toy, the most recent offering from Tesla, and he did his best to relax in the passenger seat while she guided the car homeward. Castle scanned through the messages on his phone, while she drove. "Hey, Ryan copied me on his text to you about Haskins. Do you have any more cunning political buttons you can push?"

Kate sighed. "Honestly, I haven't been able to think of any. I thought when we get back, I'd give Cap a call. He's spent enough years pushing things through, that if Haskins does have some kind of a pressure point, he'd know about it. I know he doesn't like Haskins. I've heard him make a couple of remarks about ambitious gigolos."

"Whoa! That's a little harsh," Castle declared. "There are men that have an eye for more mature women. Mother must have dated several hundred of them before she was smitten by your father. Not all of them were douches."

"It would be pretty douchy to cheat on your wife and get a murderer released from jail to cover it up," Kate remarked.

"Point taken." Castle agreed. "And speaking of douches, hear about any progress on picking up the arsonist who set the fire at FTC?"

"Maybe. I talked to Lieutenant Cram for a couple of minutes this morning. Delia Burton gave her a likely suspect and she has her people tracking him down now. Apparently the man has some predictable urges and they have a pretty good idea where to look. She thinks they should be making a collar pretty soon, a recently released con by the name of Arnie Klempt."

Amusement lit Castle's eyes. "From what I've heard around the Old Haunt, Cram is one formidable woman. If Klempt ends up in the box with her, it won't be long before he is thoroughly _verklempt_. Oh! Maybe it would be better if he wasn't. We don't want the cops to have to talk among themselves. We want Klempt to spill his guts, and if we're lucky, give us Scarlett."

"We still don't know if Klempt has any connection to Scarlett," Kate reminded him, rolling her eyes. "We aren't even sure yet that he set the fire at FTC. But I'm sure that one way or another, Marcia Cram can get the truth out of him. He's been convicted twice before. If he goes down for the third time, he could be put away for good. I'm betting he'll do anything he can to stay afloat."

"Let's just hope he throws Scarlett out of the lifeboat to do it," Castle said. "I'd love to be a fly on the wall in that interrogation."

"Yeah," Kate agreed, "so would I."

* * *

Arnie Klempt was working toward a rise of his own as he described the leaping flames to Velvet Finsterman. He was creeping her out, and she really wished the cops would break in already. Being a confidential informant had its advantages. The vice cops generally left her alone, as long as she dropped a dime on some of her more criminally inclined clients. The word had gone out on this one, and he'd lived up to his reputation. As soon as her pimp had given her the assignment, she'd managed to text the code word that would bring someone with cuffs. It looked like Arnie had almost reached his full growth, such as it was. She heard a faint noise outside her door, but he was too immersed in finishing his story to notice. She did her best to look shocked, but breathed a sigh of relief when the door was kicked in. But shit, they could have just picked the damn lock. She'd make sure they paid her enough to cover the cost of a new one. And she'd keep what Arnie gave her, too.


	213. Chapter 213

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 213

"I don't usually make house calls, Castle."

"I know, Perlmutter," Castle soothed, "and I appreciate it. You can chalk it up against your tab at RCI. And I'm not soliciting your medical services, just your knowledge. What do you know about solanine poisoning?"

"I know there are a lot of myths about it, Castle, of which you have no doubt been availing yourself. People rarely die from eating potatoes."

"I'm aware of that," Castle informed him. "I'm talking about the concentrated chemical. Specifically, who could make it and what sort of equipment would they need?"

Perlmutter's houndish face furrowed. "For a small scale extraction it wouldn't take much, the right glassware, a heat source. A freshman chemistry student could do it."

"How about a pure product, concentrated enough that a tiny amount introduced through the bloodstream would cause illness?" Castle pressed.

"Is that what happened to you, Castle?" Perlmutter queried. "What was the method of introduction?"

Castle reddened. "A paper cut, actually."

Perlmutter brightened. "I would have loved to see you on my table for that one. The writer felled by his own medium. It would have been a fascinating case."

"Yes I'm sure it would have. I can imagine you downing champagne over my cold dead body, but Alexis still wouldn't have let you out of your obligation to RCI. So just tell me, what would it take to pull that off?"

"For a large scale extraction and concentration, you would need some sort of lab facility, especially as far as measuring the level of purity is concerned. You might look for someone who makes herbal extracts, for food - or the miracle cure of the week. There are quite a few of the latter who prey on the ignorant and gullible of the city."

"Do you think you could make me a list?" Castle asked.

Perlmutter sighed. "If I must. I'll put it together and email it to you."

"Thanks, Sid, I appreciate the effort."

"Castle," Perlmutter warned, "if you ever call me Sid again, I may poison you myself."

"Noted." Castle acknowledged.

* * *

Arnie Klempt struggled to avoid the stare of the woman sitting across the table from him. Even when he turned away, it seemed to burn into his brain. He'd considered asking for a lawyer, but the hacks he'd been assigned before had been useless. They'd just told him not to say anything. And he'd ended up in prison anyway. Damn hookers couldn't keep their mouths shut. Of course those mouths did the most amazing things. Still, he didn't know why he talked to them about his adventures. He just couldn't help himself.

Marcia Cram tapped her index finger on the file open in front of her, her nail clicking on the surface of the paper. Mr. Klempt, you have been a very bad boy. Didn't your mother ever teach you not to play with matches?"

Arnie sat, silently. He could feel the sweat on his forehead approaching his eyes, and wished he could wipe it away, but the chains attached to his cuffs wouldn't reach that far.

"No, I guess she didn't," Cram concluded. "And you didn't learn anything from two stretches in Rikers either. You didn't even improve your technique. Shame, that. If you'd taken some time to learn from the pros, your MO wouldn't have been nearly so easy to identify. You know, when you go back this time, there won't be a release for good behavior, or anything else. You'll be a three time loser and you'll rot in there."

Marcia observed the stains forming at Klempt's armpits and on his chest. He was wincing. She smiled internally. Very good. "There is one thing you can do for yourself," she continued, "give us the name of the person who hired you, and I'll see if I can get the D.A. to cut you a break. Not that you deserve one. It wasn't just any building that you destroyed. FTC does a lot of good for this city. Many people, much better people than you, will suffer because of what you did. Nevertheless, give me a name, and if it pans out, I'll see what I can do for your sorry ass."

Despite the heat radiating from his body, Arnie shivered. Scarlett Price could have him taken out, or do it herself. She'd done it to her partner. Who knew what she'd do to him if he gave her up? Still, the idea of spending the rest of his life behind bars, was even more terrifying. He'd always been at the mercy of the shot callers, and they weren't very merciful. Even looking away, he could still feel the force of Cram's hard-eyed gaze. "So if I give you a name, you'll get me a deal?"

"I'll see what I can do," Marcia confirmed.

Arnie could taste salt as his tongue wet his dry lips. "Scarlett Price, the person who hired me to start the fire was Scarlett Price."

* * *

Cap had been spending a few days at his cabin, which by coincidence, was across the lake from one belonging to Kate Beckett's father. He'd waved at Jim Beckett a couple of times when their boats had been within sight of each other, but he'd never paid much attention to who his neighbor was, until Kate had made her presence known on the political scene. Then he'd remembered the distinctive silhouette of the woman he'd seen walking along the shore occasionally, especially in the summer of 2011. He'd realized that must have been the time when she was recovering from the shooting that made all the papers - the first shooting that had made all the papers. On this last getaway, craving peace, his phone had been turned off and he hadn't brought any form of computer, so he didn't see Kate's message until he returned home. He mulled over her request. A way to bring pressure to bear on Portnoy Haskins; he'd been trying for a while, to figure that one out himself. The man was a worm. The idea of having him in the governor's mansion if something permanent happened to Hodgekins, disgusted him. However, as of late, he'd heard some rumors of trouble in paradise. Apparently, after too much very expensive scotch, Haskins had embarrassed his wife Cherrie, at a family function. From the accounts he'd heard, she'd threatened to turn off the money spigot and let him survive on his salary. Even that, could shortly come to an end if Hodgekins dropped him from the ticket, or failed to be reelected. Haskins would be desperate to stay in his wife's good graces. Like most members of New York's historical monied families, Cherrie Rastor Haskins had her causes. In particular, she supported a number of organizations fighting cruelty to animals. If there were ever a whisper that Portnoy had mistreated a four footed friend, he would be banished from her sight and from access to her fortune. Again, what Cap had heard had only been rumors, but there had been a story about a young Portnoy Haskins being a fan of a football player who had been involved in dog fighting. Cap had no idea if the story was true and hadn't considered devoting the resources to finding out. Haskins just wasn't important enough to merit the time or the energy. But for Kate Beckett, having such an investigation done would be child's play. If Haskins was involved in the release of a dangerous criminal, she would be doing the citizens of New York, and probably Cherrie Haskins, a favor. Cap composed an answer to Kate's query and smiled as he pushed send.


	214. Chapter 214

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 214

As she read about the dog fighting operation football player Michael Hicks had run, Kate just wanted to throw her arms around Cory. The pictures and descriptions were heart-wrenching and nauseating, but she continued her search for a connection to Portnoy Haskins. Alexis had been looking into Haskins' background as well, but hadn't found anything that would give Kate enough leverage to be useful. If the connection existed, it had never been explicitly mentioned in anything search engines could locate. That meant that Kate would have to resort to what was more Ryan's technique, carefully sifting through images for something useful, however sickening the chore might be. She considered having Castle turn the task over to Ryan, but as hard as Jenny was working to get services from FTC back up and running, Kevin was picking up some of the slack on the home front, and Kate didn't want to burden the family further.

For reference, she had pictures of Haskins from all angles, and squinted at the screen trying to catch a match. Castle might not be the only one who needed glasses, she considered wryly. There was one thing that might help her search along. Haskins had very distinctive hair. The height of it was reminiscent of pompadours from the '50's and 60's. Johanna Beckett had been a fan of oldies rock and roll, and when she was growing up, Kate had seen the videos. Even if Haskins was in the back row of a crowd, the mound of hair might be visible. For the third time, she hit control plus to enlarge her window, averting her eyes from the dogs, and concentrating on the observers. There it was, the telltale coif! She brought up the details of when and from where, the image had been posted. There was a photographer's credit. It would take some luck, but she was on the way to tracking down a witness of Haskin's presence at the obscene event.

* * *

Marcia Cram had a name. More than a name, she had a rap sheet. Scarlett Price had quite a record. Unfortunately, what that record did not contain was a current address, or any type of contact information. Arnie Klempt had a phone number, but it was a burner and out of service. His payment had been left at a drop, a box rented under an alias at a package store, and paid for with cash. She had Tech scrubbing the security video from the store for an image of whom might have left Arnie his money. So far, that was the only clue she had. Even if they found something on the video, it would not be sufficient proof of Scarlett's guilt. The evidence would have originated from the testimony of a co-conspirator; damaging, but not enough to counter an argument by a good lawyer.

Marcia had no doubt that Scarlett would have a good lawyer. She'd had one of the best, before she landed in jail. Had it not been for the police presence when she admitted to shooting her partner in crime, and the solidity of the case built by Kate Beckett and Richard Castle, she might have skated. Marcia had nothing close to that strong. The word around the N.Y.P.D., was that RCI was pursuing the investigation of Scarlett Price on multiple fronts. Generally she she put little stock in the work of P.I.'s, but RCI had an impressive stable of ex-cops, and their record of success was undisputed. There was also the association with the legendary Kate Beckett. Marcia would welcome anything the agency uncovered, with open arms.

* * *

Castle was slowly working his way through Perlmutter's grudgingly assembled list. Unfortunately, it was alphabetical, rather than in order of importance. He'd eliminated the largest firms, right away. There would be too much opportunity for off-the-books laboratory activities to be observed. He wanted to concentrate on small operations, where a denizen of a lab could toil in secrecy. There were still a lot of possibilities. There had to be a better way to narrow it down.

He shifted back to his forte, delving into esoteric subjects. He'd already learned more than he wanted to know about the symptoms arising from ingestion of too much solanine, but hadn't checked out the details of how the substance might be most easily obtained. A fact he'd skipped over, was that it tended to concentrate in the peels of the potatoes. That was not normally a problem, even for barflies hooked on potato skin appetizers. They'd have to eat a hundred of them at once to get sick; an unlikely and expensive prospect. But he had no doubt that using the peels would be a better route to producing the toxic chemical, than working with a mountain of whole potatoes. A promising direction beckoned to him from his screen. Potato peels were used for natural hair dye to cover gray. The latest cancer revelation concerning the use of artificial dyes, had caused a resurgence of natural alternatives, and there was one local lab on his list that had taken advantage of the trend.

* * *

Millie Birdwhistle resisted the urge to squee, when Richard Castle walked through the door of Healthy Beauty. She had eagerly devoured all his books. She'd even bought the graphic novels, claiming that they were for her grandchildren. She couldn't imagine what he was doing there, but when she checked the calendar, she found he'd scheduled an appointment to see her boss, Manny Swift, online. Castle declined her offer of coffee, but accepted a goblet of freshly filtered water, while he waited for Manny to emerge from his lab.

Manny Swift was anything but. Castle would have been surprised if Swift was past fifty, but his feet shuffled along the floor like some of the residents of the facility where Martha had recovered from her broken leg. His voice was low, and rumbled from the depths of a chest that strained against the confines of his lab coat, as he spoke. "Mr. Castle."

Castle grinned. "Call me Rick, Mr. Swift. I have to tell you, I am so impressed by the concept of your business. My wife and I have twin boys, both healthy now, thank God, but in their earlier years they were plagued by all manner of chemical sensitivities. I even started a clothing line to address the problem."

"Yes, I'm aware," Swift acknowledged. "In fact, our products are carried by some of the same outlets, and I've been looking to expand into more."

"Outstanding!" Castle exclaimed. "My business manager came across your enterprise and he suggested that we both might profit by some sort of strategic partnership."

"Why don't you come back into my office and we'll discuss it?" Swift invited, the slight rise in the pitch of his voice, the only evidence of his interest."

"That's why I'm here," Castle responded, "But first, I would love a tour of your facilities. I'd be very excited to see how you work your magic."

Even for Swift, the response was slow, but it finally emerged. "Mr. Castle, Rick, obviously I can't give away any trade secrets without an agreement containing the proper safeguards, but I can give you a general idea of what we do."

"I understand completely," Castle agreed. "I guard my own interests just as zealously."

As Swift led the way, he kept Castle at a distance from the lab benches. Castle was able to spy some of the equipment Perlmutter had described, but more importantly noticed several huge bins filled with damning potato skins. RCI would be painstakingly scrutinizing the background of Manny Swift, and it could all be done under the cover of vetting a business deal. Castle smugly trailed in Manny's dragging steps.

A/N For those of you who haven't read Life Goes On, or just can't remember back that far, what Castle said about the twins' sensitivities and the clothing line, is part of this saga. Also, totally independent of this story, I posted a short insert yesterday for Dreamworld, called The Call.


	215. Chapter 215

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 215

Thinking the name of the place was particularly apt, Kate slid onto a stool at the bar in The Hungry Dog. "I'm Kate Beckett. Thank you for agreeing to meet me, Mr. Haskins."

"You said it was a matter of utmost importance, Senator, and I was not about to turn down one of Shumberg's favorite people. I fail to see what I can do for you, however. My political star is not on the rise at the moment. I'm not in a position to grant you any favors and I can't imagine you'd need one from me in any case."

Kate pulled a photograph from her tote and slid it toward Haskins. "This isn't about politics. It is entirely personal." She pointed to what she'd circled in the background of the shot. "You really ought to consider another hairstyle, Portnoy. Yours sticks out in a crowd. That is you, isn't it?"

"Of course it isn't!" Haskins exclaimed. "I would never attend a travesty like a dog fight. I'm a staunch defender of animal rights."

"Except that it is you," Kate calmly returned. "You see, the betting slips from that bout were recovered and used as evidence in Michael Hicks' trial. I examined the photos. Your name was on one of them. Five thousand bucks - and on the loser, too. There is also the testimony of Bobby Joe Mitchell who collected the bets, that those slips are all genuine. It's in the transcript. Your wife is on the board of the Animal Protection League, isn't she? What do you suppose she'd do if she knew you were dropping that kind of money, probably hers, on a dogfight?"

Haskins downed his drink in a gulp. "So if this isn't about politics, what so you want, Senator? As you've implied, my wife has the money in the family. As your husband does in yours."

"Except that unlike you, I didn't marry for it. If anything, the publicity that came with marrying a best-selling author was a negative for me, as my husband was uncomfortably aware. So no, I'm not interested in money, just information. You commuted Scarlett Price's sentence. That's a matter of public record. I have no idea what she had on you, but given her former profession, I imagine that whatever it was, wouldn't make your wife any happier than your encouragement of the torture of innocent animals. What I need from you, is any and all information you have about how to contact Scarlett, now."

"That's all?" Haskins asked. "Why?"

"You're possibly aware that my husband and I put her behind bars in the first place, and we have very strong indications that she is anything but reformed. You don't need to know anything more than that. So, how do I find her?"

Haskins signaled the bartender for a refill. "I never talked to her directly. My contact with her was through a third party."

"Her lawyer?" Kate queried.

Haskins shook his head. "A woman. I'd met her before, she was one of Scarlett's girls. Her name is Candy, Candy Stevens. She has a - business - out of the Standish Hotel. You can find her in the bar there at Happy Hour any day but Sunday. She's religious."

"Description?" Kate questioned.

"Blond, pushing forty, but very well pulled together. And she has a mole above her lip, like Cindy Crawford," Haskins added.

"Thank you, Portnoy, that was very helpful," Kate said.

"And you won't say anything to my wife about - you know?"

"I will not utter a word to your wife," Kate promised.

* * *

Castle perused the file Alexis had compiled on Manny Swift. His story was unexpected but fascinating. Earlier in his life, the appellation of Swift had been a perfect fit. An athlete from an early age, he'd earned numerous awards and even received an athletic scholarship to college, where he'd been a double major in chemistry and agriculture. He'd done his masters thesis on the most efficient use of agri-chemicals. Everything had changed for him the summer after he'd received his graduate degree, and taken a job on a huge corporate farm. He'd been accidentally sprayed with organophosphates and become critically ill. When he recovered, he'd been left with what had been diagnosed as peripheral neuropathy, which would have caused the shuffling gait that Castle had observed.

After that, Manny had completely changed focus, away from chemical enhancements of agriculture and toward completely natural products. He'd started a small company to sell them, but hit financial difficulties during the recession in 2008. He'd been rescued by an influx of money from an unidentified source and his business had shown slow but steady growth ever since.

Castle shook his head. Investing in a company like Healthy Beauty would have been a perfect way for Scarlett Price to launder money from less than legal pursuits. As charming and convincing as she could be, no doubt Manny had viewed her as a godsend. Then if she'd asked him for a favor later, he would have had no choices but to grant it, or risk the revelation of a less than savory part of his company's history. Suddenly Castle felt a flood of sympathy for the man. Scarlett could and did, take just about anyone in, to be manipulated for her own purposes. He and Manny had that in common. Perhaps it was time for a man to Manny talk.

There was no way he could manage one before the next day, at the soonest. Kate had gone to meet with Haskins. Akamai had been dropped off by his father and was busily at work with Lily, on their next composing project, something for a holiday performance at Juilliard. The twins had finished their homework and were engaged in dreaming up some sort of superhero opus for Thanksgiving. Jake had said something about Super Turkey, who sent out vibrations with his drumsticks that stunned the Dressing Demon. It sounded interesting, if somewhat unappetizing. He'd have to scare up dinner for the group. His own writing had fallen behind, due to Scarlett's machinations, as had his search for a new marketing manager for Castle Press. He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to pursue that last task. If Scarlett could be taken down, he would be happy to have Capeheart back, whatever sins she'd ensnared the hapless manager with, not withstanding. He checked the time. Providing nutrition for the creative efforts of the youngsters, was definitely next on the agenda. With any luck, he and Kate could have a quiet supper together, later.

* * *

Jake entered the bar at the Standish hotel. The call from Alexis, relaying Kate's request, had been unexpected, but not entirely unwelcome. Mai had a full schedule of classes that night, and there were worse ways to spend his time than doing surveillance at an upscale watering hole. The Standish catered to a monied crowd and was known for its discretion. The rooms were well appointed and were rented by the night, rather than the hour, as were some of the attractive women in the bar. Candy Stevens wasn't hard to spot. Not only was she older than the women in her stable, but the mole was hard to miss. For now, all he had to do was observe, but if the chance came to gather further information on his target, he could take it.

A/N If you like your stories in small bites, I have one, in 100 Voices Volume 3, which just went live for pre-order on CentumPublishing dot com. My story, "Return to Fur," should appeal to fan sensibilities, as the protagonist is definitely one of us. If you decide to order it, you can get 10% off with the code 100V3-69.


	216. Chapter 216

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 216

With the size of his frame and his considerable muscle mass, it took a great deal of alcohol to bring Jake Pullman to the level of intoxication. Nevertheless, after his first seven and seven, he'd tipped the bartender extra to make the rest of them a soft seven only. He preferred to stay sharp, but there really wasn't much to stay sharp for. Candy kept an eye on her ladies and gave them an occasional indication of a likely target. She did little else except slowly sip what appeared to be gin and tonic, but Jake suspected was as virgin as his own drinks. There was a time when keeping his eyes on beautiful women would have made him anything but bored, but those days were past. Next to his almost omnipresent mental image of Mai, they paled in comparison. In any case, he avoided making any eye contact, which could have resulted in an unwanted solicitation.

As the bar began to empty out before the late night resurgence would take place, Candy left the hotel. Jake followed at what he hoped was a discrete distance. He had expected that Candy might be going home, perhaps to grab a rest or a meal before the late shift. Instead, she turned into one of the shipping stores that maintained boxes for their customers to receive mail and packages. Rather than retrieve mail, Candy placed an envelope inside one of the boxes, and left. Making a split second decision, Jake decided to plant a tiny camera that would broadcast short range, and to stay in the area to attempt to determine who the recipient of the envelope might be. He slipped into a nearby coffee shop and sipped his unadulterated brew slowly, at a back table, with his eyes on his phone.

He didn't have long to wait. A man appeared, opened the box, and pulled out the envelope Candy had left. Jake didn't recognize him. He was tall, blond, handsome, and too young to have been one of Scarlett's former clients. Jake exited the coffee house, just in time to follow him. The young man walked briskly, finally turning into a building that housed apartments above a delicatessen, now closed for the evening. There was no doorman, but there was a buzzer operated security lock, and Jake had no wish to alert anyone by breaching it. He pulled out his phone to send a text to Alexis. A computer search for occupants of the building could determine their next move. Jake noted the time. Mai would just be finishing up her last class. Unless Alexis had a 911 request, he and Mai had a rendezvous at their apartment.

* * *

While he wrote, Castle could hear Lily and Akamai at the piano, but it didn't bother him. If anything, the interplay of rhythms stimulated his thoughts. Ahe Kahale would be picking up his son at nine thirty. That was only a few minutes away. Kate wasn't back yet, but she'd texted him to expect her around that time as well. He'd saved some of the pasta he'd made for the kids. It could be reheated. He'd pair it with a fresh salad, including the mushrooms his kids refused to eat. He could pull out a chianti, which would have no need of aeration, whenever they were ready for it.

The doorbell rang. Ahe stood on the doorstep with a bag in his hand. From the aroma drifting toward him, Castle could tell that it contained coffee beans. Ahe smiled as he handed Rick the fragrant parcel. "Just shipped express from my plantation. Enjoy."

Castle stuck his nose in the bag and inhaled deeply. "Thank you. I could grind some for a couple of cups right now, if you have the time."

"No thanks necessary. I appreciate you and Lily hosting my son. The beans are just a token. But I should be getting Akamai home. If experience is anything to go by, he may still have some schoolwork to do that doesn't involve music. It's late enough, and he has to get up pretty early for school."

"As does Lily," Castle agreed. "Rain check?"

Ahe grinned. "You bet, brother."

It was obvious that the parting between Akamai and Lily was reluctant, but Ahe hurried his son out the door, just as Kate was arriving. They exchanged quick greetings before the Kahales drove off. Lily retreated to her room, her feet dragging against the hardwood floor. "Do you think those two are getting too close?" Castle wondered. "Alexis was three years older than Lily when she got her first serious crush on a boy, and he screwed it up by spending too much time playing video games and forgetting to take her to a movie."

"Ignoring someone because you're playing a video game. Who would ever do that?" Kate teased. "Right now I think Lily's partnership with Akamai is about a shared passion for music, but it could blossom into something else in the future. If that does happen, we'll just have to do our best to keep her from doing anything too stupid - if we can. My parents didn't have much luck with that."

"Mother didn't either," Castle recalled. "But it all worked out in the end. Tell you what, as long as I keep hearing the piano, I'll be fine. If it stops - instant paternal chaperone."

"Just don't be too heavy handed about it, Castle," Kate cautioned. "If you scare Akamai away, it may be decades, if ever, before Lily really forgives you."

"I will be the soul of discretion," Castle declared, as Kate rolled her eyes. "But right now this soul is starving. You?"

Kate's stomach rumbled before she could answer, and Castle led the way to the kitchen.

* * *

Kate sipped slowly at her wine as Castle put out grapes for dessert. "Portnoy Haskins is a real prize. It isn't just the dog fighting. I'd be willing to bet he did quite a bit of business with Scarlett's enterprise, cheating on his wife while using her money to advance his career."

"Hardly the first guy we've run across in that category," Castle recalled. "Remember Councilman Horny? Of course his wife got her revenge, big time."

"Castle, I'm not advocating that Haskins' wife should conspire in his murder, I just don't think he should be able to get away with what he's done to his wife, or anything else that's happened since he arranged for Scarlett's release. But I did promise that I wouldn't say anything to Cherrie Haskins."

Castle's eyebrow rose. "Is that all you promised?"

Light, reflected from the lit tapers Castle had romantically placed on the table, sparkled in her eyes. "What are you thinking, Babe?"

"My idea is not fully formed yet," Castle replied. "But I can tell you this, when this whole affair is over, Portnoy Haskins will not escape unscathed. That is my promise." He lifted his glass of shimmering ruby liquid, and touched it to Kate's, with the distinctive ring of crystal.

"You wouldn't have any chocolate handy?" Kate queried, before starting to suck on a grape.

Castle surveyed the flush that had begun to paint his wife's still prominent cheekbones. "I'm sure I can find some.

A/N Until, in my misspent youth, I had a job in a bar in New York, I had no idea what a seven and seven is. It's a mix of Seagram's Seven Crown Whiskey, and Seven-Up. A soft seven would just be Seven-Up, nothing Jake could get drunk on. It would be hard to tell by looking, especially with enough ice and a swizzle stick in the glass.


	217. Chapter 217

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 217

Alexis scanned through the listing of the occupants of the building where Jake had followed the recipient of Candy's envelope, the night before. Although it was possible their target lived with a woman, she'd stick with the males for her initial search. None of the names jumped out at her, she'd have to check them out one by one. It was slow going, checking ages and descriptions, then seeing if she could locate an image to match what Jake had captured with his hidden camera. She'd fed Elizabeth twice, and was starving herself, by the time she found something promising. It was worth it. The tenant's name was Declan Peters, and his online image was unmistakable. Now she just had to figure out his connection, if there was one, to Scarlett Price. That task called for at least a burger and a chocolate shake, but Elizabeth was asleep, so Alexis wasn't going anywhere. Sighing, she called a local fast food service which promised delivery in twenty minutes or less.

* * *

Millie Birdwhistle could hardly believe her luck when Richard Castle returned to Healthy Beauty. This time she knew that he and Mr. Swift had an appointment, but she hadn't really believed he'd appear again, until he walked through the door. Castle had called the afternoon before, asking to be slotted into Mr. Swift's schedule. When Millie's day was over at five thirty, she had practically floated out the door. She'd spent hours that night going through her books and Castle memorabilia, wondering what she might ask him to sign - if she could work up the nerve to do it. She'd settled on Heat Wave, the first Nikki Heat novel, the start of the relationship between Castle and Kate Beckett. Millie had faithfully followed anything in the newspaper or on the web about Castle and the beautiful detective, hopefully shipping them. She'd been overjoyed when their engagement had been announced, and bitten her fingernails through the two months when Castle had gone missing. She'd never believed for a moment that he would desert Kate, and felt vindicated when the couple was married, celebrating with champagne and cake of her own. She had followed Kate's career ever since, voting for her when she could, and checked the Richard Castle website every day for updates. She subscribed to the Castle Press newsletter as well, although she couldn't have cared less about the books by other authors. Whatever Richard Castle wrote, she would read.

Millie's voice squeaked from her nervously constricted throat, when she held her book and a Sharpie out to Castle, and asked if he'd sign it. His grin, and the flamboyantly written, "I'll never forget Millie, Richard Castle," made her day, her month, and her year. She would happily have been his willing servant for life, but settled for getting him a fresh glass of water, while he waited for Mr. Swift.

Manny had not expected to hear from Rick again so soon. He'd wanted more time to give some thought about how to put a deal together. Millie had printed out a standard non-disclosure form for Rick to sign, so Manny could give him more details about how he produced his products, but Manny had hoped for an opportunity to put together something more comprehensive. Still, he wasn't about to put Rick Castle off. An opportunity like this, especially for a small businessman like him, might not come again.

Rick took his second tour of the facilities enthusiastically. He told Manny that, using his criminalist son-in-law as a resource person, he'd researched analytical equipment used in crime laboratories, for a possible future book. He pointed to the gc-mass spec., and asked if it was something similar. He seemed pleased when Manny told him it was. "You know," Rick confided, "as a mystery writer, I was interested in novel ways to commit murders. Some killers tend to favor poison, and I was always looking for unusual ones. Damnedest thing, recently it seems that someone tried to use one on me, some kind of weird chemical from potatoes. It probably could have been made with what you have here, especially the potato skins you use to produce your hair dye. Of course, that's ridiculous. You'd never do anything like that would you?"

Castle could see the color retreat from Manny's face. "No, of course not. Our whole purpose here is give people a healthy alternative to toxic chemicals. I'm very grateful you appear to have recovered. Whoever thought of such a thing must be a madwoman."

Silently noting the gender reference, Castle nodded. "Yes, I'm sure she is. Well, onto more cheerful musings, our discussion of how your Healthy Beauty products can tie in with my hypoallergenic clothing. Shall we go to your office and get our creative juices flowing?"

"Of course," Manny agreed, still shaken, "I, um, can also tell you about some of the new products I've been developing to add to Healthy Beauty's line."

Castle clapped him on the shoulder. "Outstanding!"

"I hope you and Mr. Swift had a good meeting, Mr. Castle," Millie ventured, as Castle collected the jacket she'd hung up for him, and prepared to leave.

"I believe it was very productive, Millie," Castle replied, "but Mr. Swift seems to be a bit pale. He really should get out more." He wiggled his eyebrows. "Any prospective female companionship?"

Millie knew she really shouldn't be discussing her boss' affairs, or lack of them, but she couldn't resist Castle's smile. "I don't think so, but there was one woman who used to show up here many years ago. I believe she invested in the company when we were going through a rough patch. She disappeared for decades, but then she showed up again not too long ago. She was stunning when I first saw her and she's still beautiful now. Her name is Scarlett." Millie shielded her mouth with her hand as if confiding a secret. "Kind of like a stripper name, isn't it? Not that I've ever met a stripper. I can't really picture her with Mr. Swift, but then you never know, do you? Look at all those models who marry creepy politicians."

"Love can be blind," Castle agreed. "But if Manny has snagged himself a hottie, I wish him the best. I hope I'll see you again soon, Millie."

Millie patted the hair she'd taken such pains to curl that morning. "I hope so too, Mr. Castle."

"Rick," he urged.

"Rick," she repeated, wondering if she'd ever breathe again.

* * *

"So now you're sure that Manny Swift made the solanine for Scarlett Price?" Kate queried, as she and Castle shared espressos after dinner.

"A hundred percent," Castle confirmed. "You should have seen his face when I mentioned the stuff, and of course there was the sweet song of Millie Birdwhistle."

"So how are you going to prove it?" Kate asked.

"Manny and I are going to do a business deal together." Castle declared.

Kate's eyebrows rose. "You're serious about that?"

"Absolutely. I think it could work. But the important thing is, doing the due diligence gives me an excuse to have his financial history examined. We follow the money and trace it back to Scarlett. With any luck, that will lead us to her, and possibly even further evidence against her, now. I've already lined up the forensic accountant that consults for RCI."

"That's pretty brilliant, Babe. I'm proud of you."

Castle ran his fingers through his still generous volume of hair. "There's fire in the old man yet."


	218. Chapter 218

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 218

Declan Peters scanned the contents of the envelope Candy had left in the box. It contained the usual snippets of overheard conversation and pillow top confessions. There was nothing he would have considered particularly useful, but then he was not his mother. Since he had barely laid eyes on her while he was growing up, it was easier to just think of her by her name, Scarlett Price. It fit. She was a scarlet woman who came at an extremely high price. Still, she had manged to stay in touch with him as he grew up in the Peters household. His origin had never been a secret. He knew he had been adopted. Chris and Paul Peters had considered it an act of Christian sacrifice to adopt the child of a fallen woman. They had given Declan constant reminders that they were doing their best to keep him from following his mother down the path to perdition. The more they'd preached, the less he wanted to listen. His mother, his real mother, was beautiful and brilliant. She'd built an empire from nothing and she would still be ruling it if not for that asshole writer and his stupid cop-come-politician wife. He wasn't sure quite how, but he knew Scarlett was getting her revenge, and he relished the thought.

* * *

Alexis paged through what she'd been able to find on Declan Peters. His adoptive parents, fervent and vocal Christians, had prayed on fundamentalist blogs across the web for success in rescuing their son from a legacy of sin. So far, the answer to their prayers had eluded them. If Declan had a juvenile record, it was sealed, but there had been been newspaper and online reports, implicating him in vandalism and other minor offenses. He'd left the care of the Peters as soon was he was of age, and held a string of short term jobs. Most telling in his story, was that the log at Rikers showed he had been a visitor of Scarlett Price. Alexis studied his picture. His hair was the same color as Scarlett's. His eyes were the same shape as well. It wouldn't be much of stretch to suspect a biological familial relationship. Nor would it be hard to imagine him as the contact between Candy Stevens and Scarlett. He was as direct a link as she was likely to find.

Jake was observing Mai's second class of the afternoon when he heard the dinging notification of Alexis' text. She needed him and Reese to do surveillance on the young man who had retrieved Candy's envelope, Declan Stevens. She'd left it to them to schedule their shifts, but she she'd confirmed Declan's link to Scarlett Price, and wanted him watched twenty-four hours a day. If Jake and Reese needed extra help, Kevin and Javi could be added to the rotation. She'd designated the job as top priority. Jake contacted Reese, and volunteered take the first shift. Mai had four more classes that evening and the timing should work out pretty well.

* * *

Castle had just finished feeding his hungry young horde when the call came from Alexis. So his daughter thought that Scarlett had a relative. He regarded the photo Alexis sent. He could easily see had what had led to her supposition. Scarlett hadn't come from New York. She'd told him that herself, and that part of her tale of woe had turned out to be true. It seemed unlikely that she would have a relative here, especially one close enough to do her bidding. He did some fast mental arithmetic. A son? The timing would have worked out. Declan could have been conceived when Scarlett was new to the Big Apple and to her profession. Accidents happen. He shrugged. If he was acting as her toady, the biological relationship was irrelevant, except in the "like mother like son," sense. Finding Scarlett and putting her her where she could do no more harm was what mattered, and RCI was solidly on the job.

While Manny Swift's financial history was being scrutinized, there was nothing further for Castle to do about Scarlett. It was just as well. He'd started a new collection of Star Train Tales and had to read the latest notes on the scripts for the Star Train show. Paula was also nagging him to let her book him into more cons to promote the Star Train franchise. If she had her way, she'd send him to the ends of the earth to hawk his wares, but he had no wish to spend any more time than was necessary away from his family, so he'd asked her to limit his commitments. He was willing to take the whole Castle clan on a trip down under the following summer. The boys, at least, would enjoy a Hobbit tour. Lily might like exploring the rhythms of the native music as well, and an interesting journey with Kate at his side was always an appealing thought. He just hoped neither of the boys would want to bring home a didgeridoo. He could imagined with a shudder, the cacophony of one blending with Cory's howls. There would be at least a couple of con appearances Castle could make while they were there. No matter what Paula wanted, Dubai was definitely out. He didn't need the Las Vegas of the Middle East. He'd even lost his taste for the one closer to home. For the rest of the appearances she'd proposed, he'd have a little time to decide. If he could get Capeheart back on board, they could come up with a plan together.

Rick had one more project as well. Kate's promise to Haskins, not to inform his wife of his misdeeds, couldn't stop Castle from scattering a few hints in semi-disguised fictional form. He wouldn't publish anything until Scarlett was back where she belonged, but he could have the story prepared to go. Right then, putting those words on the page called to him more viscerally than Star Train did, for either book or small screen. Writing that story would be a satisfying way to spend the evening, at least until Kate returned from her day of fighting for justice for the city's newest victims of exploitation.

* * *

Jake had the rare luck to find a parking spot across the street from Declan Stevens' building. He wasn't sure if the man was inside or not. It made no difference in his plan. If Declan wasn't there, he'd show up eventually, and if he was, he could be followed when he left. Alexis hadn't found a vehicle registered to the man, not uncommon for a resident of New York City. But however Declan got around, Jake, and then Reese, would be on his tail. If either of them got close enough, they could plant a tracker on him. They had the equipment to intercept his wi fi and phone as well, Very soon, no move Declan made and no word he said, would escape detection. One way or another, he would lead them to Scarlett, and once they had enough against her for an airtight case, the cops would be called in for the collar.

Jake spotted Declan approaching the building. Chances were, he'd be in for the night. Jake switched on his monitoring equipment. He'd be picking up a lot of signals, and have to sort Declan's from the rest. For a call, that should be easy enough. With wi fi, he might end up reading someone else's mail, but he'd try to avoid that as much as possible. It had been his experience that about ninety-nine percent of what a person dumped into the information stream wasn't worth reading anyway. He would just have to find that one nugget of gold in tons of gravel. He could do it. He'd done much more challenging things, and Scarlett and her cohorts had already made a fatal error. They'd attacked the Castles and the RCI and FTC families. That would not and could not, ever be allowed to stand. He glanced at his screen with satisfaction. He was already picking up a barrage of signals. Let the sorting begin!


	219. Chapter 219

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 219

Lily wasn't sure how to tell her parents that she wanted to spend Thanksgiving with Akamai's family. She was pretty sure that Mama would be fine with it, but having the family together at holidays was really important to Daddy. She liked spending the holidays with her family too. Her brothers' behavior at the table got on her nerves, but she loved providing the music and she'd had some of her best talks with Grandpa at holiday get-togethers. But the Kahale family celebration would be different. Akamai had told her they had traditions dating back to Makahiki, a Hawaian festival of thanksgiving that started long before the Pilgrims ever came to the United States. They'd have turkey, but the other food would be different. She and Akamai would be playing music together, too. That would be the best part. He didn't have a grand piano like she did, but he had a smaller one, and keyboards. His family played some Hawaiian instruments. She still had more than a week to go, but Daddy had already started buying things for Thanksgiving dinner, so the sooner she said something, the better. It would probably be smarter to tell Daddy when Mama was around, and he had said that Mama would be home for dinner that night. Akamai was trying to finish a paper he'd put off, so he hadn't been able to come over that afternoon. If she could get up the nerve, tonight would be the time.

Castle studied the summary of the forensic accountant's preliminary report on Healthy Beauty. It was as he'd surmised from what Millie Birdwhistle had said. During the economic downturn at the end of the Bush years, Manny Swift's company had been on the edge of bankruptcy, until rescued by an influx of funds. Their origin had been disguised with the use of a shell company, but the source had been traced to _Fille de Joie_ Enterprises, which was fully owned and operated by Scarlett Price. At least she had been honest about her profession, or was just thumbing her nose at the world. After the infusion of cash, Healthy Beauty had flourished again; just as well for Manny, since Scarlett was in prison. The return on her investment had continued to be paid to a _Fille de Joie_ account at a New York Bank, but the records of that account could not be obtained without a subpoena or a court order. When RCI's investigation was over, that would be a problem to be handed over to the N.Y.P.D.. Castle thought about asking Alexis to assign someone to watch the bank, but there didn't seem to be much point. It was likely that Scarlett could access her funds with a swipe of a finger over her phone. Still, the report backed up what Millie had told him, solidifying Scarlett's connection to his poisoning. The evidence against her continued to mount. There was also a chance that Scarlett might come to Manny for another favor. If she did, Millie was sure to tell Castle at his next visit to Healthy Beauty. That would be soon. Based on the accountant's findings, papers were already being drawn up.

Lily heard Mama call out a hello as she came through the front door. Daddy had dinner ready. She could smell the lasagna from her room. Daddy and Mama might drink some red wine with it. That would help to put them in a good mood. If Reese and Jake weren't being too much of a pain, she could break her news over dinner.

Kate could tell right away that Lily had something on her mind. Her daughter was keeping her eyes glued to her plate, but only poking at pasta that she usually adored. Jake and Reese were too busy shoveling food into their mouths to get into much trouble, and excused themselves as soon as the last forkful had disappeared, to return to work on their Thanksgiving Turkey hero. Kate noticed that Lily's fingers clenched at the mention of Thanksgiving, and caught Castle's eye. He'd noticed too. "Something on your mind, Sweetheart?" Castle asked as soon as the twins were out of the room.

Lily swallowed. "It's about Thanksgiving."

"Hey, compared to the Thanksgiving disasters I've had over the years, it can't be that bad." Castle asserted. "Did Alexis ever tell you about the time I singed my eyebrows off? And there was the time your Mama made me dress up like a Pilgrim and I got cranberry sauce all over the sleeves of my costume. And..."

"Akamai's family is going to be doing special Hawaiian stuff for Thanksgiving and I want to be there with him," Lily blurted out.

Castle set his face in a smile. "Is that all? Not a problem. You should always be open to new cultural experiences."

"Then I can go?"

Castle looked at Kate and they nodded in unison. "Of course you can," Kate assured her daughter.

"Sepshal!" Lily exclaimed. "May I be excused? I need to go work on some music now."

"Compose away," Castle responded. "Your Mama and I are just going to have coffee."

"Just how upset are you?" Kate asked, as the sounds of Lily's piano filtered into the room while she and Castle cleared the table.

"I don't know what bothers me more, that Lily won't be here for turkey day or that she wants to spend it with a boy," Castle confided. "It's all happening too fast."

"It's only going to be a family dinner, Babe," Kate comforted. "Lily will be surrounded by chaperones. Nothing is going to happen."

Castle stuffed the plates into the dishwasher. "I know. I'm not worried about that - yet. It's just that growing up, I spent Thanksgiving in some pretty strange places. The holidays are a busy time for the theater and sometimes mother was on the road. There was one year when we had our Thanksgiving dinner at midnight. What you get in an all night diner surrounded by truck drivers is not impressive. I had to use a steak knife on what they claimed was turkey breast. Then there was the year when all we had were mystery meat sandwiches out of the vending machine at a bus station - stale sandwiches. There were a few years I was stuck at boarding school, too. Those were the worst. I want my family at home with me, having the best Thanksgiving meal we can manage. I know it's selfish, but my inner child emerges at inopportune moments."

"Castle, it's not childish and it's not that selfish, either. We all have things that make us feel more secure. Hell, you know that the little stick man I made with my father is still in the drawer of my night table. And I still have my mother's elephants on my desk, even the broken one we patched together. I'm not crazy about Lily spending so much time with a boy at this age either, but it seems to be good for her right now."

"It does," Castle agreed. "So on Thanksgiving I will smilingly deliver her to the Kahale's doorstep. I'll even check ahead with Ahe to see what she can bring as an appropriate contribution. My inner child will just have to keep his peace."

Kate rubbed a hand over the small of his back."Want another glass of wine?"

Castle leaned into her touch. "Please."


	220. Chapter 220

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 220

After dogging Declan Peters' boring steps as he did errands in his neighborhood, Jake felt that he was finally getting somewhere. Declan was sitting in the coffee shop where Jake had monitored the images from the camera he had planted for surveillance of the mail drop where Declan had first appeared. Declan was several tables away, slowly sipping on a caramel machiado, his eyes on the front window, scanning the approach of customers. Hoping Declan wasn't just waiting for a buddy, Jake was relieved when a still shapely body appeared and took a seat across from Declan. Jake had memorized every feature on that face. There was no doubt that it was Scarlett Price. He activated the miniature sound amplifier already hidden within his ear.

Declan passed an envelope across the table. "Nothing looked that interesting to me, but this is what Candy left."

Scarlett examined the contents. "Information is always interesting. There are a couple of things here that may prove useful. She passed two envelopes back to her son. "Enjoy yours and put the other one in the box for Candy. I'm going to take off for a while. My little pet in the D.A.'s office tipped me off. That little twerp Arnie Klempt flipped on me. His word isn't enough to bring charges, even if they could find me to arrest me, but it's better if I stay off the cops' radar until things cool down."

Declan stuck out his coffee moistened lower lip. "I'll miss you."

She cradled his cheek in her hand. "I know, but maybe I'll run across some sweet isolated place where we can spend some time together, just the two of us. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Declan nodded. "That would be wonderful."

Scarlett ruffled his hair as she got up to leave. "Good boy." Declan's eyes followed her swaying stride as it carried her back to the sidewalk.

Scarlett's exit had Jake's full notice as well. If she was leaving the city, the only chance RCI would have to track her movements would be now. He allowed himself a few seconds to be far enough behind, to follow her without being spotted, then left the shop himself. Jake would have liked to contact Alexis to update her on what was happening, but if he was going to keep Scarlett in sight, there was just no time. He could have activated his com, but walking down the street talking to himself might have attracted too much notice, even in New York.

It looked like Scarlett was headed for the subway. With any luck, he could get close enough to her on a crowded platform to plant a tracker. It would only be good until she changed her clothes, but it could give him time to report in and get some back-up. As Scarlett descended the steps to the IND, Jake lengthened his stride.

* * *

Castle stared at the alert that had flashed across his computer screen. Scarlett Price had been spotted, but she was planning on leaving the city. Jake had managed to plant a tracker on her. Esposito was coordinating with the N.Y.P. D. to have her picked up on the basis of evidence gathered by RCI, corroborating the arson charge and implicating her in Castle's poisoning. It would be better to be able to present a comprehensive report for the police to use, but by that time, Scarlett could be in the wind. All available operatives of RCI had been scrambled to stay on Scarlett wherever she went, until the N.Y.P.D. could take her into custody. Castle would have loved to join the hunt, but there was nothing he could do at that moment to add to the effort. He would come into play later, to testify about his assault with solanine, and to help solicit a statement from Manny Swift. He needed to call Kate. She'd want to keep up to the minute on Scarlett's pursuit.

Kate listened carefully to what Castle said and studied the message he'd forwarded from Alexis. Damn! She hated the thought of proceeding with the case against Scarlett without full evidence, but there was enough to hold the bitch and get through a preliminary hearing. There would be time to gather more before her trial. At least this way, her lawyer couldn't ask for discovery on what the police didn't yet possess. Had she been on the side of the prosecution, she might have appreciated that.

For a moment, a thought flew into Kate's head. Being a prosecutor was one thing she'd never considered. Many cops who went into law became prosecutors. It was another step to putting the bad guys away. Except that often it wasn't. Ninety percent of cases never went to trial. The defendants took a plea of one sort or another and many of them skated without much more than a slap on the wrist. When she'd first told Castle that she wasn't interested in going into law anymore, it had been because she hated the thought of seeing scumbags loosed back onto the street. That hadn't changed. At least now she knew she was doing something genuinely useful, in both the practice of law, and when she could get her legislation through in the State Senate. Still, she very much wanted to personally see the prison doors clang shut again behind Scarlett Price.

* * *

Jake had tracked Scarlett to an upscale apartment building, but the signal from the tracker had completely stopped moving. That was what he'd been afraid of. If it was still on her, even if she was just going from room to room in an apartment, he would would have seen some motion. He assumed she'd changed to traveling clothes. Both Reese and Ryan had arrived as backup, but the N.Y.P.D. seemed to be taking their own sweet time. The only thing he could do at that moment was wait, and the minutes were ticking by way too fast. It shouldn't take a woman like Scarlett long to get on the road. It looked like it wouldn't. She left the building and climbed into a green Fusion that had been parked at the curb. He would have pegged her for something more upscale and sporty, but for invisibility, it was the perfect choice. The road was full of cars just like it. He, Reese, and Ryan could leapfrog tails, transmitting Scarlett's location to Esposito to pass on to the cops, but if Scarlett left the city, or worse the state, too easy to do by bridge or tunnel, things could get a lot more complicated.

Esposito's voice came urgently through the coms. "The cops are a couple of minutes away. Can you block Scarlett from taking off?"

Jake grimaced at the thought of what he'd have to do next. "Reese, operation bender? Ryan can block from behind."

"Ready," Reese acknowledged. The two men pulled out with the slightest meeting of fenders that they could manage, but still blocking the street. They both jumped out of their cars and proceeded to stage an angry exchange. The street was one way, but Ryan was prepared to prevent Scarlett's escape if she decided to flout the rules.

Scarlett pumped her horn as Jake and Reese gave a convincing show of being about to come to blows. When a squad car arrived, she assumed it was to deal with the accident. A badge was displayed at the window of her car before she had a chance to realize that she was the true target. Jake, Reese, and Ryan smiled and waved as she was led away in cuffs, and Ryan gleefully snapped a picture to preserve the moment.


	221. Chapter 221

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 221

Lily carefully placed the chocolate turkeys, pineapples, and palm trees that Daddy had helped her mold, into their special little bags, and tied them with curly ribbons. Daddy had said they'd make a lovely addition to the Kahale feast, and she was proud of her work. Last night the air had been full of spices from the cookies Mama had baked from her Nona's recipe. This morning Lily could smell the turkey roasting. Daddy had let Reese draw a costume on it in food color markers. The turkey would match the drawings Reese would show and the story Jake would read, before dinner. Lily was sorry she'd miss that, but not too sorry. Grandpa had told her that she could visit with him and Grandma over the weekend, so she felt better about not seeing them today. Alexis and Sergei would be coming for a little while later, after dinner with Sergei's parents, but they'd be busy talking to Mama and Daddy about the awful woman who'd hired the man to burn down FTC, and made Daddy sick. Lily wouldn't be included in that discussion, even if she was home. Daddy and Mama didn't want her or her brothers worrying about any of that. She'd have more fun spending the time with Akamai.

Rick strolled into the kitchen to refill his "Thanksgiving rocks!" mug with coffee made from beans Akamai's father had given him. He eyed the neat bags of chocolate confections. "Those look beautiful, Sweetheart, the perfect hostess gift. What time are you supposed to be at the Kahales' apartment?"

"Akamai said they're going to be eating at noon, but he wanted me to come at eleven so we'd have time to talk and set up to play our music."

Rick did some mental calculations. His turkey was scheduled to come out around twelve-thirty, so he would have more than enough time to drop Lily off. Kate would hold down the fort and work on side dishes while he was gone, and also make sure the twins stayed away from the desserts. She'd have to put up with Jake's lusty practice of his "drumstick solo," which he'd be playing as a fill in for Lily's customary holiday performance. Rick had watched his wife readying a jazz mix to be piped into her earbuds, just in case the enthusiastic tattoos became overwhelming.

Castle had considered inviting Manny Swift to the celebration, to soften him up to testify against Scarlett, but given the twins' exuberant plans, had dropped the idea. Instead, he'd scheduled a business meeting for the following week. Rick would be able to broach the subject then. Kate had talked to the A.D.A., and she'd told Rick that she was pretty sure that Manny could get immunity in exchange for his testimony. After that, Manny would be free of Scarlett's influence forever, and could prosper in his relationship with Castle. That would have to be an irresistible prospect. Castle checked his watch. He had half an hour of writing time before he and Lily would need to be on their way. "Be sure to keep those where your brothers can't get at them, until we leave," he cautioned Lily, indicating the candy.

Her face lit in an understanding smile. "Don't worry, Daddy, they'll be in the secret place we made, in my room."

* * *

Declan Peters paced his apartment. It had been bad enough when Scarlett had said she was going away. Then Candy left him a note that she'd heard Scarlett had been picked up by the cops. He wanted to see his mother, but he was afraid the cops might come after him too. The money Scarlett had given him would last a while, but if she was going back to prison, there wouldn't be any more. He'd have to make some other plans.

The idea of getting a regular job didn't appeal to him at all. He couldn't see himself in that kind of a grind. Maybe he could do what Candy's girls did, only with women. He had the looks for it and he'd seen plenty of women hanging around bars, trying to find someone to give them a thrill. And the girls he'd been with all said he was terrific. He didn't really know how to get his new business started, but he'd find a way to figure it out. Then maybe, after a while, he could have a whole stable of guys, arm candy for lonely cougars, working for him. The more he thought about the idea, the more excited about it he was. If bucks for booty worked for Scarlett, there was no reason it couldn't work for him.

* * *

Reese and Jake displayed the boldly illustrated story of their winged Thanksgiving superhero, before the floor vibrated with Jake's "Drumstick Anthem." It was loud, energetic, and short, due to a serious craving for turkey by the performing artist. As declarations of thankfulness were expressed around the table, both boys limited themselves to the hastiest possible pronouncements. Reese's colorful creation on the skin of the roasted fowl had faded during the cooking process, but was still discernible, and Castle was able to use some of it as a guide to carving the bird. There was no question that Reese and Jake would get their servings from the drumsticks, and under Jim Beckett's approving eye, Castle made careful slices of white meat for the other diners.

Martha was anxious to describe a new play featuring several of her students, and insisted on obtaining tickets so that Kate and Rick could attend. Kate and Jim talked shop about legal frustrations, and everyone present extolled the virtues of Kate's special cookies.

* * *

The music that Lily and Akamai played for the Kahale Thanksgiving celebration had a decidedly island flavor, but was alive with the unique sound of the melded styles of Lily and Akamai. The table was full of platters of foods Lily had never seen before, but there were no dishes she felt she couldn't at least try. The chocolate treats she'd brought had been both admired and eagerly consumed, adding to her feelings of belonging at the family gathering. The festivities continued long after dinner, with Akamai's sisters also playing lilting music, and the entire family singing, clapping, and telling funny stories.

When Ahe Kahale finally took Lily home, she was full of new inspiration for a Hawaiian suite, and anxious to start composing it. Mama explained that Daddy had fallen asleep after Sergei and Alexis left, so Lily worked in her room, with earphones and a keyboard, on what she would play for Akamai the next time she had a chance. With the twins absorbed in watching a video of the latest animated adventure, Kate lay down, snuggled next to her husband, and closed her own eyes.

* * *

"Are you looking forward to Lily's visit?" Martha asked Jim over warm cups of fragrant mulled cider, back in their own, much quieter, domicile.

"I am. I want to find out more about this Akamai she's spending so much time with."

Martha's eyes twinkled over the rim of her cup. "You sound like Richard, protective papa bears. When I was Lily's age, I was already all about acting. My parents were working in the carny, and I practiced with the sons of the other performers.

"And nothing happened with any of them? Jim questioned

Martha toggled her head side to side and shrugged. "Nothing that was life changing, certainly nothing compromising, at least until I was somewhat past Lily's age."

Jim pressed his lips together. "From what I've gathered, Lily's collaboration with Akamai may very well be life changing. When Lily's here tomorrow I'm going to try to figure out just how much.


	222. Chapter 222

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 222

Castle wasn't worried much about the time. The kids were out of school and Kate was home from work. The only thing firmly on his agenda was taking Lily to see her grandparents, and that wasn't scheduled until the afternoon. There wouldn't even be much cooking to do. The refrigerator was full of leftovers. Right then, he was using the bread left over from when Kate made the stuffing, to make French toast for breakfast. It wouldn't be one of his complicated creations, the batter would just be enhanced with vanilla and cinnamon. Sausage, also from leftover stuffing ingredients, could be browned free style to go on the side. Cutting up a couple of mangoes Lily had brought home from the Kahale feast would complete the menu.

Kate padded into the kitchen. She'd already switched to her cooler weather robe. The thick nubby fabric didn't highlight her still attractive figure nearly as well as her silk kimono did, but it invited a morning hug, which Castle was more than happy to give. Despite catching a little nap, in the literal sense of the word, he and Kate had slept the sleep of the exhausted; warmth, but no flames. Wrapping his arms tightly around her would be a good start to the morning.

The aroma of sizzling sausage brought Cory to the kitchen, too. The dog was well aware that he didn't get the food served to two legged family members, except on the rare occasions when the twins managed to sneak it to him, but he was forever hopeful. In compensation, while the last batch of French toast was cooking, Castle acknowledged the pooch's worthiness with special occasion doggie treats, which Cory rapidly consumed in appreciation. "Go get Reese, Jake, and Lily," Castle instructed, and the furry shepherd trotted off to herd his charges into the breakfast room.

"You look more relaxed than I've seen you in a while," Kate noted.

"So do you," Castle observed. "Neither one of us has had much in the way of downtime lately. A lazy day at home is no trip to Bora Bora, but right now there's no place I'd rather be."

"Me either," Kate agreed, "but I wish the twins were going to see Martha and my Dad too. When was the last time you and I just had some time to ourselves?"

"I know what you mean," Castle said. "It's been a while. But I do have a plan. We get the boys interested in a new project. Lily can call us if disaster looms, but otherwise, we should be able to pull off "Operation Alone Together.' You know what they say, "Save water, shower with a friend. A closed door, the sound of running water; we could pursue a little project of our own."

"Mm, sounds intriguing, what did you...?"

Guided by Cory, Reese and Jake clumped into the room, with Lily not far behind. The previous day's feasting already a dim memory to their stomachs, the boys attacked their breakfast with gusto. Lily was a bit more restrained. "Jake and I want to do a new story for Christmas," Reese announced, with a full mouth.

"Sonic Boomer is going to try to slow down Santa Claus' sleigh so he can't deliver all the presents," Jake added. "The elves are going to form an army to fight him. There's going to be a mega battle. It's going to be so cool!"

""If it takes place at the North Pole, then it would have to be have to be cool," Castle observed.

"Yeah!" Jake agreed, his head bobbing madly.

Rick and Kate locked gazes, attempting to suppress the grins threatening to erupt on their faces. "Planning to start on that this morning?" Castle inquired.

"We already did," Reese announced proudly.

Under the table, Castle could feel the toe of Kate's slipper, working its way under the hem of his pajama bottom. Yes, the day was starting well - very well.

* * *

Phillip Risch was not having a great start to his day. He'd been able to stay distracted with family and football during Thanksgiving, but on the morning after, the concerns he'd felt after an inquiry from Lieutenant Cram at the N.Y.P.D., came flooding back. She'd asked about documents from his law firm that should have been irrelevant to a criminal investigation. At the time that Scarlett Price had requested them, he couldn't imagine what possible use they'd be to her, but with the video she had on him, he'd avoided thinking too deeply about the matter. He had just transmitted the papers to her. Obviously Scarlett had employed them in a way that led back to him. Somehow he had been tagged in an investigation, but Lt. Cram had not been the least bit forthcoming about how. One thing he'd gleaned from his conversation with her, was that the matter was not going away. A check of court proceedings revealed that Scarlett Price had been arraigned both in connection with arson, and with assault and battery, pursuant to a poisoning. Cram had not mentioned Richard Castle, but considering the documents, he couldn't think of anyone else the victim might be. There had been nothing in the newspapers, but Richard Castle had become increasing less public since the birth of his children, so the absence of publicity was not surprising. In the end, it might not matter. He had already been connected to Scarlett Price, so the chance of her video reaching his wife, his law firm, or both, was rising. His partners had peccadilloes of their own, and any problems it would raise with them could be resolvable in a meeting, preferably while imbibing sufficient fine scotch. Minnie was a different story. Her family had demanded a strict prenuptial agreement, and their lawyers were at least as skillful as he was. Any dalliance on his part could result in severe financial losses. His best chance, would be to confess and beg her forgiveness. Even if he received it, he knew his penance would be extreme, but he had no choice. If news of his foibles came to her from any source but his own lips, his future would be very bleak indeed.

* * *

"Tell me about your friend Akamai," Jim Beckett requested, as Lily sipped cider, while he and Martha had coffee.

Lily's mouth curved upward from her mug."He's sepshal. He writes music as well as I do, maybe better. When we're writing music together, or playing together, it's like he knows what I want to do and I know what he wants to do. Sometimes Aunt Lanie says Mama and Daddy have a shared mind. Akamai and I are like that. We never bump fingers or use chords that don't go together. The music just comes out right."

"So you like him because of the music?" Jim asked.

"I love the music, but he's nice too. He's sweet and funny. Cory likes him too," Lily added. "Cory doesn't like bad people."

"Yes, I'm sure your dog is an excellent judge of character," Jim commented. "So what about next year, when you go to high school? Weren't you thinking about dropping your Saturday program at Juilliard if you get into one of the special ones? Then you and Akamai wouldn't be there together anymore."

Lily chewed her lip. "Akamai is applying for Performing Arts, and Music and Art, just like I am. We just hope we end up in the same place."

Martha laid her hand over Lily's smaller one. "Yes Darling, I can certainly understand why you would."


	223. Chapter 223

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 223

Manny Swift swished his fork in the white wine reduction and savored the taste of its contents on his tongue. "I appreciate the invitation to lunch, Rick. I can't say I remember ever having a business meeting at Le Cirque before."

"I don't make an appearance here that often anymore myself," Castle replied. "Kate and I juggle responsibilities with our kids. However, an excellent meal is always good for smoothing over the rough spots in any endeavor."

Manny put down his fork. "What rough spots?"

Castle cut into an asparagus spear. "Scarlett Price."

Manny downed half his glass of water in a gulp. "Who's Scarlett Price?"

Castle closed his eyes and shook his head. "Manny, surely you remember the hooker with the heart of gold who bailed you out when Healthy Beauty was about to go belly up. But her heart wasn't quite twenty-four carat, was it? There was a price, no pun intended. She extracted it when you made solanine for her, the solanine she used to poison me."

"So this has all been a con on your part?" Manny demanded. "You've never been interested in a deal! You've been using the lure of a collaboration to spy on me."

Castle leaned over the table, holding Manny's eyes with his own. "Perhaps at first. I do want us to work together now. Look, I don't blame you. At one point she had me thoroughly fooled too. She made me think she was a victim, when she was actually plotting the murder of her partner in crime. She's a sociopath, and like many sociopaths, quite charming and convincing. She knows exactly which buttons to push and has no qualms about pushing them. She should still be behind bars, but she manipulated and blackmailed her way out of prison. She needs to be sent back - for good. And I need you to help me do it. If you'll do that, I have no intention of pressing charges against you, and if you testify against Scarlett, I doubt that the D.A. will either."

Manny pushed his plate away. "I suppose I have no choice."

"Believe me," Castle said, "I've been in much tighter spots than you're in now, deadly really, and it's all worked out. This will too."

* * *

Lanisha McDonald, the architect who had volunteered her time to design the new building for FTC, was young and brilliant. She also had a record. Raised by a single mother, in a corner of Harlem that had not yet been gentrified, she'd fought her way up. A misstep with a dangerous crowd had landed her in Juvie, but she'd turned her life around. Her grades in high school and her SATs had been good enough to win her a scholarship to Cornell. This would be the first building she would be designing completely on her own, and she was jazzed.

Lanisha sat with Maria, Kate, and Jenny at a conference table in FTC's temporary quarters. The furnishings had all been donated or rented and were far from posh, but there was a projector and a screen that enabled her to display the drawings she's brought on her tablet. Kate was impressed. The layout was practical rather than showy, with ample space devoted for childcare, a multipurpose room, and training facilities. The offices would be small, but adequate. There a lot of natural light streaming in, as well as solar panels on the roof, to decrease energy costs.

Insurance would provide funding to rebuild, but not all of it. Fund raising for both continuing operations and for the new building, would have to be strong and ongoing. The community had rallied, and the next big event would be an indoor/outdoor fair, at the temporary facility. Lanisha was anxious to participate in that too, planning a booth to display drawings and a model of the new building. She'd also be helping obtain the proper permits. Kate had enlisted Alan Masters to help with that as well. Even with her experience as Advocate, she couldn't think of anyone who understood the city bureaucracy better.

They'd put out a call to the city's food trucks and lined up vendors of everything from tacos to deep fried twinkies. A portion of all the sales would go to FTC. Several bands had volunteered their services as well. The weather would be cold, but that very rarely stopped New Yorkers, and there would be enough going on under cover, to provide refuge when needed. Castle had pulled in Paula to help with PR. The agent would be scheduling interviews with local radio and television stations to help promote the event. Those would be divvied up according to the demographics of the audience, with each of the women taking on a few. For morning television, Castle's charm would also be added to the mix.

* * *

Declan gazed around the bar. He'd been spending a lot of time there for a couple of days, sizing up the female patrons, especially the older ones, as possible future clients. Of course none of them were as beautiful as his mother; he didn't see how they could be. Still, they were pretty well preserved, and he'd noticed some of them eyeing him from time to time.

A small band was scheduled to play that evening, and there would be dancing. He was sure the ladies would be ecstatic to take a turn on the floor with sexy younger man like himself. It would give him a chance to feel them out.

There was one striking woman he would have loved to get his hands on. Tall, dark, and slender, but with an air of strength, like his mother, she looked as if she had stepped out of a Kung Fu movie. Unfortunately, she had company, a tall dude who looked like he could throw some punches of his own. There was no way Declan would risk getting his face messed up by intruding into that pairing. He downed his screwdriver and ordered another one. The music should be starting in less than an hour. He'd have as many partners as he could handle, soon enough.

* * *

After his lunch with Manny, Castle couldn't work up much enthusiasm for making dinner. Unfortunately that did nothing to quell the twins' and even Lily's enthusiasm for eating it. Akamai was there too and had no doubt built up a growing boy's appetite, working with Lily on something for Christmas. Castle had no idea what it would sound like. Rather than using the piano, Akamai and Lily had been using keyboards to synthesize the instruments they needed, and they had both been wearing headphones. He supposed he should be thankful for the quietude, but he was still curious. Kate was up to her eyeballs working on FTC, but he expected she'd be home before the twins were in bed. They could eat something together then.

He had started to put together sliders, fries, and raw vegetables for the youngsters, when his phone dinged an RCI alert. Taking the opportunity for a quasi-date with Mai, Jake had been watching Declan at a Manhattan bar, infamous as a hangout for cougars on the prowl. Jake suspected that Declan had decided to enter the realm of the midnight cowboy. If Jake was right, Roselyn would be trying to get Vice to intervene at Declan's most inopportune moment. A successful collar would give the N.Y.P.D leverage to convince him to flip on his mother. From what Castle had studied in the reports on Declan so far, he gave it a fifty-fifty chance. The young man seemed to love his mother, perhaps creepily too much. On the other hand, he was Scarlett's son. Betrayal could very easily be in his blood. If Rick had been looking to write a thoroughly salacious story, the relationship between Declan and Scarlett would have been the springboard to a juicy one. It would be fascinating to see how things unfolded.


	224. Chapter 224

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 224

"So Declan, you like older women?" Marcia Cram questioned.

Declan's eyes widened innocently. "I love older women. I enjoy spending time with them. Is that a crime now?"

"If you charge them for more than your time, it is," Cram pointed out. "There are at least three women we know of so far, who have paid well for - your services."

"Those were gifts of appreciation." Declan claimed.

Marcia shrugged. "I doubt it. None of them gave you a good review. Something about falling short."

"That's bullshit!" Declan protested. "Those women had a great time and I deserved every penny they paid me."

"So they did pay you," Marcia observed.

"No wait!" Declan protested. "That's not what I meant."

"I think it's exactly what you meant, Declan," Cram remarked. "And handsome fellows like you will be so appreciated at Rikers, especially by guys like Bubba and Ox."

Declan threw his hands in front of his face. "No! You can't do that! I mean I'm not..."

"Oh, you mean you don't like getting your jollies with men? I'm sorry, but that really isn't going to matter. They'll enjoy having some fun with you. But there is one thing you can do to avoid that particular love fest."

"What?" Declan squeaked.

"Tell us everything you know about Scarlett Price, and I do mean everything."

Declan's already pale skin lightened further. "I – I can't do that. She's my..."

"Biological mother," Cram finished. "We know that. It was evident from the DNA you so conveniently left behind with one of your clients. Unless she's also your wife, you are not excluded from being compelled to testify against her. Life will go much better for you if you do it on your own volition. Then you might never have to meet Bubba or any of his friends."

Declan swallowed and cupped his face in his hands. "Fucking bitch! Alright, you win, dammit! I'll tell you."

* * *

A.D.A. Liza Tully stared across her desk at a visibly nervous attorney. "Mr. Risch, let me make sure I've got this straight. You were blackmailed into handing over some business documents concerning Richard Castle, by Scarlett Price, who subsequently used them in the commission of a crime."

"Yes," Risch replied.

"And your purpose for telling me this?" Liza inquired.

"To see justice done, of course," Risch replied.

Liza rolled her eyes. "Uh huh. And I don't suppose it would look to good for you if the story came out on it's own, say in the account of a court proceeding."

"No it wouldn't," Risch admitted. "Look Ms. Tully, I'll be straight with you."

"That would be refreshing," Liza observed.

"Decades ago," Risch continued, "I did something very stupid and Scarlett Price had the evidence. The statute of limitations for that act is long past, and I've made my peace with my wife. I've committed no prosecutable offense here. We both know that. I had no idea what Scarlett Price would do with what was essentially a straightforward and not particularly confidential document. The matter is settled with my firm, although I doubt we'll be doing any further business with Mr. Castle. I will take a significant financial hit for that. I just want to get on with my life."

Liza nodded. "I understand Mr. Risch. So let's go over the details of your statement now, shall we?"

* * *

Pug Nelson, of Starry Night Lighting, surveyed the grounds surrounding the Castle castle. "Mr Castle, as I understand it, for your Christmas display, you want us to turn this area into a star field with a starry train."

"That is exactly what I'd like you to do, Castle confirmed. "I have a series of Star Train books and another related project which I'm not yet permitted to announce. Consider the display an act of shameless self promotion."

Pug stroked the dark stubble sprouting along his jawline. "Yeah, one of my little girls is into the sci fi thing. She mentioned something about a star train."

"I have two daughters," Castle offered, "but so far only one of them has been interested in science fiction."

"I have six," Pug confided ruefully. "Two of them are crazy about that Colson Jennings guy."

"I'm familiar with the phenomenon," Castle commiserated.

"Three of them are into track and field," Pug continued. "Can't keep up with 'em. But anyway, I think Starry Night can create a Star Train display that will get you noticed. I'll email you an estimate and some preliminary drawings late today or early tomorrow."

"Take your time," Castle urged. "I want the heavenly lights to blaze their way into all the space-loving hearts."

After Pug had departed in his truck, Castle returned the house, shivering slightly. Winter was descending with a sudden blast. If his estimate was accurate, the temperature had fallen ten degrees just while he was outside with Pug Nelson. A faint scent of coffee emanated from the kitchen, but he preferred the deep warmth he could draw from hot chocolate. While he was at it, he might as well see if the kids or Kate wanted any. Lily and Akamai were too immersed in developing a theme to take a break, but Jake and Reese were enthusiastic about indulging in a cocoa break. Kate joined Castle in the kitchen while he stirred the dark brew and added marshmallows. "Have you heard anything more about the case against Scarlett Price?"

"Not much," Castle relayed. "RCI's part in it is done. Eva edited the final report and Alexis sent it to Lt. Cram. Alexis says Eva is getting pretty big and Big Reese is strutting around like a rooster," he added.

Kate stroked his arm. "Yeah, I remember that stage."

Castle grinned at her. "So do I. I have a feeling a baby shower is not far off. "But anyway, I received a text from Lt. Cram. She said the case is progressing nicely. The lawyer, Risch, who gave Scarlett those papers, also called with an apology that was so overblown it was embarrassing."

Kate bumped against him. "I'm sure you accepted it graciously."

"That's me," Castle agreed, "ever gracious; a gracious purveyor of sweet beverages guaranteed to leave at least one sticky spot somewhere before the boys return to their creative labors."

"Are they still working on Sonic Boom versus Santa Claus?" Kate inquired.

"Yes, but they've added another character. One of the elves is a mole, secretly reporting on any changes to Santa's route. They're calling him Blake, after Tim Blake Nelson, who voice Mole Man."

"Hmm, already deep into obscure trivia. Babe," Kate speculated, "I think the twins are going to grow up even geekier than you."

"Says the woman who has a lifetime subscription to the Comicadia newsletter. But you may have a point. Obviously they got a double dose of the geekiness genes. Ooh, twins getting a double dose of something, there's a joke in there somewhere."

Kate held back her retort, as the subjects of discussion tromped their way into the room. "I want double marshmallows," Jake demanded.

"Me too," Reese chimed in. "When Alexis is here, she always gives us double marshmallows. She says it's a Castle tradition."

"So it is," Castle acknowledged. "Double marshmallows coming up, but I want both of you to sit at the table until you've finished."

The twins sighed in unison and grudgingly plopped into chairs in the breakfast room.

"You really think that having them sit there is really going to prevent chocolaty stains from showing up on something before bedtime," Kate asked, as she and Rick leaned against the counter savoring the sweetness in their own cups.

"Probably not," Castle admitted, "but even a geeky guy has got to try his best."

Kate winked at him. "I'm always in favor of a good try."


	225. Chapter 225

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 225

The alternation of warmer moisture laden air sweeping up from the Gulf of Mexico and Alberta clippers descending from the North, had turned New York City into an unfortunate simulation of ice planet Hoth, but without the tauntauns. With the exception of the sheltered subways, most transportation had been slowed almost to a standstill. The hard slippery layer of frozen water on the streets and sidewalks made even reaching the entrances to the subterranean trains, perilous. The weight of the ice had also brought down power lines, collapsed awnings, and damaged roofs. Prior to the storm predicted to precede Christmas, Castle had urged his family to join him in the Fieldston house, where the combination of a heated front walk and a generator, had produced a relatively safe haven. The lights of the Star Train display outside, created an air that was inviting and almost magical.

The bedrooms were all full, with Martha, Jim. Alexis, Sergei, Bernard, and Elizabeth in residence. Akamai had been caught by the storm, and after clearing it with his family, was bunking in the turret. Castle briefly considered either putting a lock on the turret door, or making sure Lily secured hers, but he didn't want to give either one of the preteens any ideas that did not already exist in their young brains. Working up to the last second to assure that her clients and those of FTC would have a safe, or at least warm, place to stay, Kate was the last one in. She barely made it, after falling, banging a knee, and twisting an ankle on the ice. Under normal circumstances, Rick would have taken her to the emergency room, or at least a local clinic, to have her checked out, but that would have been more dangerous than having her stay put. Ironically, she felt much better after her injuries were iced, and her ankle was competently wrapped by Alexis. She was managing to get around the house with only a slight limp. Except for the briefest possible forays into the yard, Cory had settled in as well, making the rounds of friendly hands willing to bury themselves in his thick winter fur coat.

Fortunately, as usual, Castle had laid in enough food to feed even an army of teenagers, so the occupants of the Castle castle, if a bit crowded, had more than enough Christmas treats and cheer. With no chance to do any last minute shopping or errands, Castle devoted his time to Christmas Eve dinner. A ham had been added to the traditional turkey. Indulging the twins, tender yams had been combined with tiny, melting, marshmallows. Gold potatoes had been baked for the more calorie averse diners, stuffing was prepared to Kate's specifications, and platters of vegetables and fresh fruit filled out the menu. Alexis had taken up her traditional responsibility of pies, and Lily had turned out more molded chocolates, coins emblazoned with Christmas symbols to top peanut butter cookies. The twins were set loose to ply their imaginations. decorating traditional sugar cookies.

Before dinner, Lily and Akamai played a medley of Christmas songs, including some with the syncopation of an island beat. The twins also presented their illustrated Sonic Boom vs. Santa story, to enthusiastic kudos. At the table, Jim Beckett led a prayer for the safety of the residents of the city and for peace for the world. A dirty look from Lily kept the twins from reaching for food before their grandfather finished.

After the dishes had been cleared, the ceremony of opening presents began. Stockings had been hung over the fireplace, maintaining the conceit that they'd be filled later that night by a weather-braving Santa. The overstuffed foot coverings would be explored with curious delight on Christmas morning. The twins had been designated honorary elves, complete with hats tipped with jingling bells, to distribute the presents piled beneath the towering and twinkling tree.

Akamai, at the Castle celebration as a last minute refugee from the weather, had not expected to receive anything. With the twins being so big for their ages, he had been able to borrow some clothes, and the household always kept extra toothbrushes on hand, so he would be a clean refugee, but he was one nonetheless. He was genuinely surprised when Reese delivered a present, carefully wrapped and tied with curly ribbon, into his hands. He opened it to find a bamboo pan pipe. Castle knew that Lily had fallen in love with the pipe on a school trip to the United Nations, and purchased it with the savings of several weeks' allowance. He wasn't sure whether to be disturbed or proud, that she had given it up for her friend. In the spirit of Christmas, he chose to be proud.

Jim Beckett received a chess set in which the pieces were made to look like various types of baseball players, with umpires as the all powerful queens. Martha exclaimed over a vintage playbill signed by John Barrymore. A large box that Jake put in Lily's arms contained a purple winter coat and matching hat and scarf. Reese handed Jake a present containing a complete electronic drum set, totally silent when connected to earphones, and Jake handed Reese a large case containing a panoply of washable art supplies. Bernard glowed when he tore the paper off a junior detective kit. Sergei had gifted Alexis with delicately wrought antique hair combs, and she had hunted down an antique balance, complete with re-calibrated weights, for him. When Kate's turn came, her box was the smallest, but it contained a platinum necklace crafted with natural pearls and amethysts, which Castle lovingly clasped around her neck.

Castle was last, receiving an original Star Wars figure of Darth Vader, signed by James Earl Jones, and one of Obi Wan Kenobi, signed by Sir Alec Guinness. He gently fingered his gifts, turning to Kate in wonder. "Where – how did you get these?"

"They were part of an estate sale in at a house in Albany" she explained. "They were a target of opportunity, so I bought them and put them away for Christmas."

When Castle leaned in for a grateful kiss, the twins groaned.

How about a carol sing-along?" Martha proposed, after discarded wrappings had been gathered and bagged. She waved a hand toward Lily and Akamai. "I'm sure one of these fabulously talented young people can accompany us."

"I'll do it, Grandma," Lily volunteered. "I have a whole book of carol music."

Martha's voice quavered, her breath support lost to the years, but she still belted out the notes with gusto. With the exception of Jim Beckett, who claimed tone deafness, the rest of the group joined in, until Elizabeth began to voice loud protests.

Alexis shrugged in resignation. "Back on duty."

"At least it's evident that her lungs are strong," Castle offered. "After everything that's happened with her, that's great to know."

"Yes it is," Alexis agreed, picking up the squalling infant. "We'll just go use the rocking chair for a few minutes." She retreated from the room.

"Lily, how about bringing things down with 'Silent Night?'" Kate suggested.

As the soft and familiar notes drifted through air still aromatic with sage from the turkey, the wind outside picked up, rattling the windows. Icy pellets battered against the roof. Inside, the lights went out as the municipal power died. For a moment, Castle had visions of having to make a frigid venture outside to try to coax the reluctant generator into releasing its stream of electrons. He exhaled the breath he was holding, when it started by itself and the lights returned. He put an arm around Kate's shoulders and drew her against his side. "We're all here, safe, warm, with good food and excellent company. What better gift could Santa Claus bring?"

"A real Star Train instead of the fake one in the yard," Jake replied. "Then we wouldn't have to stay in the house. We could go anywhere in the universe."

Castle could only smile and shake his head.


	226. Chapter 226

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 226

Cuddling together under a blanket on the sofa in front of the fireplace, Kate snuggled into Castle's shoulder. "Are you sorry that we didn't have a party this year? You know, with the new session starting next week, I just wanted some quiet time with you before I have to start commuting back and forth to Albany again."

Castle kissed the top of her head. "No, I get it. It's been a great evening, at least once we got the twins to bed. And you shouldn't be on your leg any more than you have to. I'm just wondering how you're going to manage it all, with the fund raising for FTC, your legal work, and your senatorial duties."

"Maria and Jenny will be shouldering most of the burden for FTC, and since the fire, we've had volunteers come out of the woodwork. I'll check in whenever I can. My cases have tapered off, and I've convinced a couple of FTC's new pro bono lawyers to help pick up the slack. I'll be consulting with them, but I think they'll be fine on their own, and if I need to hop into Johanna for an emergency trip down here, I can do it. Since this will be my last term in the State Senate, I won't have to worry about campaigning. In some ways it should be easier. How about you? Lily will be a bonafide teenager in a few months, and you'll be the doing most of the coping with that - and riding herd on the boys. And you've got your work with Star Train and Castle press, and your collaboration with Manny Swift. If anything, you'll be busier than I will."

Castle sighed and settled deeper into the couch."At least our battle with Scarlett is finished. I don't think she should have been offered a plea, but the D.A. didn't want the cost of a trial. They froze her funds as suspected fruits of criminal activity, and without a first rate lawyer, she wasn't about to demand the right to try to bamboozle a jury. So she's back behind bars, hopefully for good. Grant Capeheart is back with Castle Press, too. Ooh now, I can have Paula shop my story about a not-to-well-disguised Haskins, around. That should make politics more interesting for a news cycle or two.

"The bringing up a teenage girl thing, I've done it before, even if Alexis was convinced she was bringing me up. Maybe she was. In some ways Lily is easier. Since Alexis didn't find her true passion until she was almost out of college, she was all over the place. There was always a new direction, a new interest - a new boy. It was hard to keep up with it all. With Lily on her course so early, I at least have some idea of what to expect. Your dad taking on the role of her mentor smooths a lot of the rough spots too. The boys, for better or for worse, are a lot like I was, maybe too much. If I think about what I would have done at that age in a particular situation, I can usually figure out what's on their twisted little minds. That usually lets me get at least half a step out in front of them.

"I don't know if that's frightening or reassuring," Kate said. "Maybe a little of both. So you want go traditional and go watch the ball fall on TV?"

"Not really," Castle admitted. "I don't need to celebrate vicariously with a massive, rambunctious, and very young, crowd in Times Square. Just having this time with you is the best way to start a year I can imagine."

* * *

Turk Brown looked around the room in confusion. It was full of people, and he didn't recognize any of them except for his wife Carol. She was drinking champagne and smiling at the man she was talking to. She called him Chuck. Turk thought he should know him, but he just couldn't remember who he was. One thing Turk knew was he didn't like was how friendly Carol was with the guy. He grabbed her arm. "Get away from him! We're getting out of here!"

Carol's celebratory expression dissolved into one of dismay edged with fear. "Turk, what's wrong? Chuck and I were just talking about the stupid speech Porter made on the floor before the recess. That man doesn't know a Senate bill from a bar tab. It's a good thing he's not running again."

"Running where?" Turk demanded. "Sounds like he couldn't even make a first down."

Carol could see the bewilderment dueling with the anger in her husband's eyes. "You're right, Hon. We should get out of here." Over her shoulder, she threw Chuck Shumberg an apprehensive look as she led Turk toward the exit of the ballroom.

* * *

Kate's cell phone rang mid afternoon on the second of January. "Kate, it's Chuck Shumberg. We have a crisis on our hands."

Kate's grip on her phone tightened. "What happened?"

"Look, you remember what Turk Brown was like a couple of years ago, the way he seemed to be losing it?"

"I do," Kate confirmed. "But then he straightened out. He's been helping push the plans for the new train system along and championing the environmental clean-up. He's been doing great work for New York and for the country."

"Yes, he has," Shumberg agreed, "but he won't be, now. Look, I can't tell you the whole story, but there was a doctor and some revolutionary new drug, and that's what's been holding him together. But he fell apart on New Year's Eve. His wife got him home and his doctor gave him a full work-up today. It showed that the medication is losing his effectiveness. He'll have his good times, but Kate, even with his staff doing most of the work, he'll be lucky if he can make it through the end of his term. I just got off a video conference with some of the other party leaders. We know you're not planning to run for State Senate again. We want you to run for Turk's seat."

Kate pushed her hair back from her face. "No, Chuck. I was planning on winding down my legislative career, not ramping it up. I believe I can do more good for people, hands on and face to face. I haven't even thought about going to DC, in a long time."

"Kate," Shumberg urged, "consider how much more good you could get done in Washington. You could bring in federal money. You might even have the ear of President Teal. She certainly appreciates the work you've done. If you really want to help the people of New York, take the reins from Turk. I had confidence in you before that unfortunate matter, and I have confidence in you now. So does the rest of the party leadership."

Kate drew a shaky breath."Chuck, I really need to talk to my family. To make what you're proposing work, I'll need everyone on board with the idea, and I'll have to make sure my husband doesn't get crushed by the extra load he'll be taking on while I'm in Washington."

"I understand, Kate. This isn't a decision to make lightly and I wouldn't ask you to, but there isn't much time. The election is only eleven months away and we have to get things rolling fast."

"When do you need a decision?" Kate questioned.

"End of the month at the latest, sooner if possible. You never know know when some idiot with big promises and a bigger bank account might decide to throw his hat in the ring. We've seen that disaster before. We need to get out in front of it."

"Alright Chuck," Kate agreed, "I'll let you know as soon as I can."


	227. Chapter 227

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 227

"Kate, you know I'm behind you whatever you choose to do, but are you sure that running for the U.S. Senate is what you want?"

"No I'm not, Castle," Kate confided. "I want to hold a family meeting to discuss it, but I wanted to talk to you first. I don't want to just dump everything on you and expect you to cope with it. We need to look at exactly what's going to happen."

"Kate, when has our life ever been predictable?"

Kate pushed the hair off her face. "Never. But there are some things we have to think about. Like how many days I'm going to be gone. I did some research. The Senate is only in session about a 140 days a year. Even then, a lot of the time, they're not in the chamber. There are a bunch of committee meetings, but as a freshman Senator, I wouldn't be on many committees, and I wouldn't be a senior member of any of them. Most Senators spend about a third of their time raising money, and I might be doing that anyway, if I was here. And Babe, I'll have offices and a staff, here and in DC. They could do a lot of the research and the paperwork. Turk's staff is doing just about everything for him now. I could keep them on. They'd know what they were doing better than I would, anyway."

"Sounds to me like you've already made up your mind." Castle observed.

"No, if you and the kids don't want me to do it, I won't," Kate promised.

Castle shrugged. "Alrighty then, when the kids come home we'll have our meeting.

* * *

Chief of Staff, Mary Jo Simmons, pored over Turk Brown's schedule. Carol said he was having a good day. If that continued, there was a luncheon he could attend. All he'd have to do would be to smile, shake hands, and not get too much gravy on his tie. There were a couple of meetings too, with party friendlies. No problem there. A vote was scheduled for that evening. That would be problematic. He tired toward the end of the day and became more unpredictable. She'd have to make sure a staff member could be cleared to be on the floor with him for the few minutes it would take to enter his vote electronically, and then make sure he got home.

Mary Jo sighed philosophically. She'd handled much worse. When she'd worked for the old bird from West Virginia, she'd had to continually fight to keep his old buddies from the Klan away from him. She'd also had to keep boxes of pocket sized versions of the constitution around. The old man had gone ballistic if he didn't have one in his back pocket, and he lost several a day. He'd even demanded in his will, that he be buried with one, although he probably would have preferred it if the 14th Amendment had been redacted. Toward the end, there had been some messier issues too, but that was why God created interns.

Most of the time, Turk had been easy, even a pleasure to work for. The bad days had come, but had vanished. Now they were back, and if what Carol told her was right, it would be two steps forward and three steps back while they nursed and occasionally cajoled him through the last year of his term. She'd heard Shumberg had reached out to Kate Beckett to run to fill his seat, but had not yet received an answer. Mary Jo had never met Kate personally, but they'd talked on the phone and shared a few video chats. It was obvious that under that still attractive exterior, lay a will of steel. If Kate did win Turk's seat, Mary Jo could see her cutting through a lot of DC bullshit. That would be fun to watch, and she hoped she could get to see it up close.

The word was that the other party was planning to run J.G. Slugman. As far as she could tell, if her party said it was raining, Slugman would stand in a downpour and declare himself dry. He had his followers though, and a sizable war chest. If Kate ran, Mary Jo was pretty sure Kate could beat him, but it would not be a runaway. The iron fist would definitely have to leave the velvet glove.

* * *

Lily could tell something was going on the minute she came through the front door of the house. Those lines alongside Daddy's nose were deeper, like they always were when he was thinking about something serious. Mama's forehead was wrinkled too. Daddy had put out pizza rolls for snacks, which was what he usually did when he was too busy to make something, but wanted to make sure that she and Reese and Jake were happy. As soon as the pizza rolls had made a quick disappearance from the serving plate, Mama called her and the boys into the living room. Daddy was there too, and told everyone to sit down. Reese and Jake didn't want to, but Mama gave them her look, and they sat next to each other on the couch.

Mama cleared her throat. That was strange; usually it was Daddy who did that when he had to say something he didn't want to.

"I'm thinking about doing something I didn't expect to do," Kate began. It could change things for this family a lot, and I need to know what all of you think about it." She looked at the twins. "Do you guys know what the United States Senate is?"

"That's where they had that fight about that lady President Teal wanted to put on that court," Reese answered.

"That's right," Kate confirmed, "but they do a lot more than that. "You know how I work on passing laws for New York, when I go to Albany?" Both twins nodded. "Well the United States Senate helps pass laws for the whole country, and there are some people who want me to run to be on it."

Lily's stomach was trying to force the pizza rolls back up her throat. "Would you have to move to Washington DC? Would we all have to move to Washington?"

"No to both questions," Kate assured her. "I wouldn't have to be there all the time, probably less time than I am in Albany. I'd have to find a place to stay there sometimes, but I would fly home as soon as I could, just like I do now."

"What kind of laws?" Reese asked.

"All kinds," Kate replied. "A lot of them are about how to spend money, to make people's lives better and keep everyone safe."

"How about the trains?" Jake questioned, "the cool trains like the ones you showed us in a video."

"Yes," Kate confirmed, "the Senate would have to vote to build trains like that, too. That's one of the things I'd like to do."

"Is anyone going to try to hurt you if you run to be a Senator?" Lily asked.

Kate wrapped her arms around her daughter. "Oh Sweetheart, there are always people who are trying to hurt someone, but I'd be as safe in the Senate as anywhere. There are police and guards, way more than in Albany."

"So are we going to take a vote or something?" Reese asked.

"Does anyone else have any questions?" Kate queried.

"Will you get to kick the butts of any bad guys?" Jake wondered.

"I don't know, I might," Kate allowed.

"Then I vote yes!" Jake declared.

"So do I," Reese chimed in.

"Lily?" Kate inquired.

"I guess it would be okay," Lily responded.

Kate looked up at Castle, whose expression was unreadable. "If you do get Turk's seat, we'll figure out a way to make it work."


	228. Chapter 228

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 228

Usually Easter came before Lily's birthday, or on it, but this year it was going to be later, so plans for her celebration were being made first. Daddy seemed to think it was a big deal this year, since she would actually be a teenager. Lily wasn't sure. She didn't feel any different, except that she didn't want a house full of girls talking about Carter Spurling. Carter was playing Jimmy in Jimmy the Great, on Netflicker. It was his first role, but all the girls – except for Lily – had fallen in love with him. Lily still liked Colson Jennings, but she was really more interested in her music and Akamai. Even though they were her age, the other girls seemed immature to her now. Lily just wanted to go to the new multicultural music museum, with her parents and Akamai. Her birthday would be on a Tuesday, but she thought they could go the Sunday before. Mama was supposed to be home from Albany then and SG Ryan had said she was willing to watch the twins.

When Lily awoke on Sunday morning, she was excited but tired. She had moved up to a more advanced piano class and had been working on a piece by Franz List, who was famous for writing hard to play music. She could still feel the intensity of her effort, but no way would it stop her from enjoying the day! The aroma of coffee drifting in from the kitchen was a sign that Mama and Daddy, or both, were already up. She decided to ask for some. A couple of years before, Daddy had allowed her to try upside down coffee, a cup of milk with a few drops of coffee added. She'd tried it with more coffee, later, but hadn't liked it much. Some of her girlfriends already drank real coffee, or at least lattes. Akamai did too, but his whole family had grown up on it. If she learned to like it, it would be something else they could share. Daddy and Mama used coffee to give them energy in the morning, and at that moment, she could definitely use some.

Rick greeted Lily's request with surprise, but used his skills to craft a special cup for her, complete with a birthday cake sculpted in the foam. Her nose wrinkling slightly, Lily still sipped enthusiastically, while Rick and Kate worked together to make a breakfast of made to order omelets, accompanied by potatoes and fresh fruit.

Having taken the subway, SG Ryan arrived just as the twins were doing their assigned chore of loading the dishwasher. Kate offered coffee and breakfast, but SG said she'd already eaten, and was off caffeine. Kate silently mused that the Ryan's daughter might be able to keep up with Jake and Reese better with some extra fortification, but the girl seemed to have more than sufficient energy to supervise the boys, without it.

Even on a Sunday morning, traffic was heavy in Manhattan. Behind the wheel, Castle guided the car to the building that housed the Kahale apartment, while Kate scanned through her emails. Party communications were mercifully sparse, and Kate stowed her phone back in her purse, crossing her fingers that it would remain there. Akamai was waiting and ready to go. He climbed into the Castles' car almost as soon as Castle found a space at the curb.

The new museum was on Staten Island, part of the rejuvenation of an area that had been ravaged when the local boat charter industry had been decimated by a hurricane. It was solidly built, far enough away from the water to avoid damage from a future ocean surge, but close enough to afford a beautiful view from a musically themed restaurant on the building's uppermost floor.

It was hardly necessary, but as music students, Lily and Akamai were admitted free, and Castle purchased daylong all access passes for himself and for Kate. Lily wanted to see everything, and the group started on the first floor, moving from exhibit to exhibit. The young people were especially interested in the multi-cultural instrument collections and the videos of their use by masters from all over the world. The two of them put their heads together about how some of the sounds and rhythms might be integrated into a new composition.

Shortly before noon, Lily's buzz had retreated and her steps began to drag. Neither Rick nor Kate was averse to the thought of sitting for a while either. Castle led the way to the elevator that would take them to the restaurant. Halfway to the uppermost floor, the elevator jolted to a stop. Lily's voice quavered slightly as she looked up at her father, in the dim glow of the emergency lighting. "Daddy?"

Rick pushed the call button. "It'll be fine, Sweetheart. We'll get some help soon."

* * *

Scootchie Molson grinned as he studied his screen. Even before he'd been born, it had been no secret that the electrical grid was vulnerable to hacking. The idiots in Washington should have done something about it a long time ago. Scootchie could have been a Russian, or maybe even some kind of terrorist. He wasn't. He was just a concerned citizen trying to bring some attention to the potential for disaster. He'd modeled his cyber attack on the one by Klaatu in the original movie of _The Day the Earth Stood Still._ He had tried his best to be careful. The area he blacked out had no hospitals. Many of the houses were empty and the flow of traffic was relatively low, especially on a Sunday. There was a museum and some stores that would have people in them, but he didn't believe he'd be endangering anyone. He'd even made sure the street lights would flash as stop signs, preventing what traffic there was, from grid locking.

He brought up the file containing his manifesto, to proofread and edit it one last time before releasing it to the news media. He would not be putting out some wild-eyed rambling statement that could be dismissed as cray cray ravings. It was organized, cogent, and rich with facts. He'd even footnoted his citations. The politicians would have to pay attention now, and if they didn't, there was always step two.

* * *

Kate pulled her phone from her pocket and squinted at the screen. "I don't have a signal. Do any of you?

Lily and Akamai checked their phones and shook their heads. "The cell towers around here are probably down," Castle concluded. "I can put my phone on satellite. Any idea whom I should call?"

Kate wouldn't say it out loud in front of Lily and Akamai, but for once she was grateful for her husband's gadget geekiness. "If this is a widespread blackout, our problem isn't urgent enough to divert emergency services from life threatening situations. Alexis, maybe? She has the skills to reach out to almost anyone."

Akamai pointed at a symbol on the elevator keypad. "Mr. Castle, I don't think you have to call anyone. I think this means you can send a signal to the elevator to open up." Akamai opened a small compartment. "There's a number and a code in here."

"Outstanding, Akamai! Can you read it to me?" Castle requested.

Lily used her phone to illuminate the numerals while Akamai read them out loud. The doors of the elevator opened on a middle floor of the museum, illuminated only by glowing exit signs. By the light from their phones, the group made their way to the stairwell, which led to a door out of the building and into the sunlight. Lily gazed at Akamai in total admiration.


	229. Chapter 229

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 229

"You know, they never caught whoever blacked out the museum." Castle noted as he scanned through the news on his tablet, over his second cup of coffee with Kate. "You'd think that manifesto of his could be traced somehow. 'Grid Goblin,' I like the name. Sounds gloriously geekish. If the feebies ever do find him, they should put him to work for the cyber crime division."

"I don't think so, Babe," Kate differed. "I'm not a big fan of rewarding criminal behavior. It just makes the next hacker with delusions of grandeur think he can get away with it."

"But the Goblin did get away with it," Castle pointed out, "and his cause is just. I read his manifesto. I even fact checked it with some cyber guru buddies of mine. Everything he said is accurate. The country is vulnerable and if we don't get on the stick to fix it, the next hack might not be so innocuous. They could black out the whole Eastern Seaboard. Hell, I remember when a squirrel in Ohio managed that trick. They could black out the whole country! Do you realize what that would do to our electronically tethered populace? Not only would there be total chaos, a large segment of the population would be going into withdrawal."

I know, Castle," Kate agreed. "It is a huge weakness to our national defense. But that subject has been kicking around since at least the nineties. The inertia involved with any change is huge."

Rick caught his wife's gaze. "Well I know someone who excels in kicking inertia in the nuts. Goblin seemed reasonable about the whole thing. He said he'd give it ten months before he pulled off a more serious demonstration. You'll be in the Senate by then."

Kate rolled her eyes. "That's assuming I get elected. J.G. Slugman is not going to make it easy. You've seen his rallies, all those supporters wearing snail eyes."

"Oh come on, Kate, snails aren't even cool, they're slow moving creatures who leave a trail of slime. Slugman's slimy himself. With that doughy face, he reminds me of Jabba the Hut. Now a firefly, that would be cool. Ooh! This could be your new slogan: 'Light Up the Night!" You could have your supporters going around with glowing butts. Can you imagine, get enough of them together and you could see them from space."

"Castle, with today's satellites, you could see a real firefly from space, but you do have a point. If I do manage to win, a campaign like that would be a good kick start to getting some legislation going. There would be a built in constituency for it, before I'm even sworn in."

"Outstanding!" Castle exclaimed. "I've always loved fireflies. We could tweak a few things from the Star Train campaign. Firefly and Star Train, an odyssey into a bright future."

Kate put a napkin to her lips. Well I need to crank up Johanna for an odyssey to Albany. Cap has scheduled a votarama this afternoon. He wants to get a bunch of bills off for Hodgekins to sign, before the Easter recess."

"Will you be back tonight?" Castle asked.

"I think so," Kate said. "Cap wants to shoo everyone out. He's got big plans. Three of his grandchildren are going to be baptized on Easter this year and there's going to be some kind of massive family celebration."

"Sounds like fun," Castle said, "Not as much fun as having three of Mother's full grown students break out of giant eggs as newly hatched aliens from Ork, but I could go with the whole rebirth thing too."

"Yeah, Martha told me they've been studying old video of Robin Williams and Jonathan Winters. This is a strange one, even for you."

"And an Easter Bunny makes more sense?" Castle queried. "The boys don't believe anymore anyway. Lily hasn't for years. I just wanted something different."

Kate nodded. "Different you will definitely get."

"You want me to drive you to Sullenberger?" Castle asked.

"No thanks," Kate demurred, "I want to take my car, so it's there for me when I get back."

"Ah, the faster to see you again," Castle responded. "Safe flight and happy votarama."

Kate grabbed a handful of Castle butt, before heading for the door. "I look forward to the one back home.

* * *

"What's wrong?" Akela Kahale asked her husband.

"Kono is very ill. At first he thought it was nothing, just a cold. Then the doctors said it turned into pneumonia, but they couldn't find anything that would knock it out. Now they think it's some kind of autoimmune thing."

Akela leaned her head against her husband's back. "Your poor brother. Is he going to make it?"

Ahe shrugged. "No one knows. His doctors don't know what the hell they're doing. They have some sort of expert flying in from the University of California, San Diego, but no one knows how much help that will be, or even if the woman will make it in time."

"You should go," Akela urged. "I can take care of things here. If Kono's spirit does pass on, at least you may have a chance to say goodbye. You should call Rick Castle. From what I've heard, he's got some kind of travel broker who can get him anywhere, anytime."

"That's a good idea," Ahe agreed.

Rick did more than refer Ahe to his travel broker. He chartered a jet to take him to Hawaii, with just a short stop in California to refuel. In his life, he'd seen people standing on the brink and survive. There was a time when he thought Kate had plunged over it. He firmly believed that miracles happen. He just hoped that Kono Kahale was the recipient of one of them.

* * *

Scootchie Molson was bored. He'd promised that he would make no further demonstrations for ten months, until after the next election. He'd keep his promise, but that left him with a lot of time on his hands. He could do his coding job with both eyes closed and one hand tied behind his back. Hell, he could have done it when he was in fourth grade. He needed something much more interesting to do. He'd reached the top levels of any of the video games he'd played. There were no more hills to climb there. If he was going to work any more on the grid problem, he might have to get away from his keyboard. He wasn't really crazy about the idea. Very few people he interacted with came close to his clock speed. Having to explain everything at least twice could get annoying and depressing after a while. There was one person out there who seemed to be thinking along the same lines he was, even if she hadn't come to it until he'd turned out the lights. If Kate Beckett could get to the Senate, she might just me able to make something useful happen. She was married to Richard Castle, which gave her some nerd cred, if only by association. But he didn't dare get near her campaign. If she was ever tied to the Grid Goblin, no matter how innocent she was, Slugman would bury her in slime. He could drop into Slugman headquarters, maybe stuff a few envelops or hang a few posters in places they'd never be seen. He would monitor the situation, and if Slugman was doing anything underhanded to ooze his way into office, Scootchie would see that he was squashed under a very heavy digital boot.


	230. Chapter 230

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 230

Scootchie eagerly read the email from his friend Paul Deshile. Paul was one of the few people who could keep up with him. Paul was faster, actually. Scootchie's mind went into overload when Paul started writing about tachyons, but most of their other correspondence was great. Paul had put Scootchie onto the problems with the energy system. Scootchie really didn't think Paul would approve of the Grid Goblin, but he wasn't about to tell him. If anything went wrong, there was no reason for Paul to go down with him. It would be fantastic if the funding for Paul's energy project was restored. It had been slashed in the general assault on science. Support for some of Paul's other work had been renewed, but that one had been passed over. If Beckett got elected, maybe she could give it a shove. It would fit in with her history of environmental activism. President Teal was into that too. Maybe they could work together. With the growing need for energy, as nations developed around the world, it wouldn't hurt.

His screen flashed a reminder to call his mother. It was Easter and she always liked to be called on holidays, even the ones that made no sense to Scootchie. He'd abandoned church at age seven, when he'd lost patience with the scientific impossibilities in the Bible. He'd heard the story of Joshua stopping the motion of the sun and had been horrified. The effects on the Earth would have been cataclysmic. When both his teacher and his mother explained that since God made the natural laws, he could break them, Scootchie just couldn't buy it. When he was in school, like the other kids, he prayed on test days – just in case, but that was as far as he could go with the whole religion thing. For him, the best reason for Easter was marshmallow chicks. Still, if a phone call made his mother happy, she'd get one.

* * *

The six feet tall eggs on the lawn of the Castle castle were a little tougher than Martha's students imagined, as they broke out of them with a loud "Nanu Nanu!" It was all good. Martha Rodgers' son, who was paying them for the gig, was happy. His wife and kids looked happy too, especially when the newly hatched Orkans started handing out chocolate space ships. Castle invited the young men in for Easter dinner, which one of them attempted to eat while upside down in a chair. He gave up when the chair crashed to the ground, accompanied by hoots from Jake and Reese. When it was determined that he was unhurt, dinner proceeded with some degree of normalcy.

"Lily," Castle asked, as she helped clear the table, "have you heard anything from Akamai about how his uncle is doing?"

"He didn't really want to talk about it much," Lily replied, "he just said his uncle is still alive, but he's not getting better very fast, even with the medicine the new doctor is trying. Mr. Kahale is going to be staying in Hawaii for a while to look after the coffee plantation."

"That's got to be hard on the family," Castle observed. "From what I've seen, Ahe is very close to the kids and to Akela."

"He is," Lily agreed. "I know Akamai misses him. "He's been playing a lot in minor keys. He doesn't usually do that when he's happy."

"At least he's got a way to express his feelings," Castle offered.

"Yeah," Lily agreed. "I don't know what either of us would do without our music."

* * *

One look at his mother's face as she stood in the doorway of his room, and Akamai knew there was bad news coming. "Uncle Kono, is he...?"

"No he isn't," Akela assured her son. "But it's going to be a long time before he's going to be able to work as a supervisor on the plantation again. Your father is going to have to stay in Hawaii to keep things running. He and I talked. We think it would be better if our family all moved back to Hawaii."

"But my music!" Akamai protested. "That's why we came to New York in the first place. Can't Cousin Taavi run it? I applied for both special music schools. So did Lily. I want to stay in New York."

"Your cousin Taavi can't run it, or at least not at a profit. When he tried, the place was falling apart. That's why your Uncle Kono stepped in, but now he can't help anymore. The reason you want to stay, is it about the music, or is it about the girl?"

"I can't separate them," Akamai admitted. "Lily is part of the music. We both do it so much better together than either of us could alone. It's like we were made to write music together."

"And do you think you were made to do anything else together?" Akela pressed.

"I don't know," Akamai admitted. "I know I really like her and I don't know what I'll do without her."

Akela wrapped her arms around her son. "I'm sorry, I wish there was another way."

* * *

Lily didn't think she could ever stop crying. Even when there were no tears left to flow down her face, her breath came in sobs. In the few the seconds it took Akamai to tell her he had to leave, her whole world had been blown apart, and nothing would ever be the same again. Daddy had held held her for a long time. Her tears had soaked through his shirt. Mama offered her some of her favorite ice cream, but it didn't help. She didn't think anything could help. She hadn't needed her purple elephant in a long time. She hadn't even thought about him. But now she lay on her bed, her body curled around his raggedy form.

"Lily is breaking my heart!" Castle exclaimed, pouring two fingers of scotch. "I wish there was something I could do, anything, to take the pain away."

"I know what you mean," Kate agreed, sipping on a drink of her own. "But what can we do? The Kahales have to leave New York. One way or another, people leave us Babe, it's a fact of life. It's just a shame Lily had to experience it so young."

"Well maybe she doesn't," Castle mused.

"What are you thinking?" Kate asked.

"Akamai could stay with us. We have plenty of room. He and Lily could keep playing music together, and with any luck, in the fall they could go to school together."

Kate stared at her husband. "Is this the man who was considering fitting his daughter for a chastity belt?"

"I wasn't serious about that," Castle protested. "And if making beautiful music together begins to take on another meaning, we'll at least we will have some control over the situation. I was away from my mother at boarding school, at Akamai's age. Staying here would be so much better than that. If Ahe and Akela will agree, I think it could work."

"Do you want to talk to Lily about the idea?" Kate queried.

Castle shook his head. "I want to talk to Akela first. Maybe we can do a 'hangout' with Ahe. If I can't get them to agree, there's no point in putting Lily through any more grief."


	231. Chapter 231

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 231

The election was less than a week away, Scootchie had been assigned to trim down Slugman's mailing list; there was no point in spending money on citizens unlikely to cast a ballot, or at least unlikely to cast one for Slugman. Scootchie was fine with that. Winnowing down the list to people who would vote for Slugman anyway was unlikely to affect the race one way or another, and if Slugman wanted to save a few dollars, it didn't matter. From what Scootchie heard, Kate Beckett was hardly underfunded. She could win a battle of the bucks.

Scootchie was easily working his way through the task when he noticed the performance of the computer dropping off sharply. A file was downloading - a big one. He couldn't resist taking a look. Sonofabitch! It was information from the voter roles, confidential information. It had obviously been hacked, and from what Scootchie could see, pretty well too. No wonder Slugman was willing to pare down his mailing list. The new data could be used to target voters who might be on the fence. The votes garnered might be just enough to tip the race in Slugman's favor. Using data, obviously gathered illegally, was just the kind of dirty trick Scootchie had been hoping to guard against. Someone in the campaign had to be expecting the file. Scootchie didn't dare delete it. Alterations to the voter information might be noticeable too, and a time stamp would be traceable to him. There was one thing he could do. Files were corrupted in transmission all the time, especially large ones. He could make subtle changes in the meta-data, just enough to make the file unreadable. He didn't think Slugman had anyone on his staff who could find his carefully inserted glitch in time. In fact, he was sure of it.

* * *

It was one of Kate's last rallies and her fireflies were out in force. A cottage industry had sprung up to produce glowing pants. As twilight darkened, Kate was was surrounded by a field of light, topped by arms holding up "Vote for Beckett: Light Up the Night," signs. Kate kept her message short and to the point. Politics had descended into darkness; the darkness of ignorance, the darkness of greed, the darkness of fear. It was time to pull back the curtain and allow clean, cleansing light to flow freely. She'd lost count of how many times she'd run through her talking points, but the crowds still cheered and waved their signs wildly. Then, when a rock band began to play Kate's signature "Light Up the Night" campaign song, the gyrating crowd in front of her seemed to shimmer.

Castle wasn't at the rally. He was home with Lily, Akamai, and the twins, taking care of his own chore. He was writing a new Star Train story for release to readers who signed up on the Kate Beckett for Senate website. So far, the promise of exclusive access to Rick's work, had driven a lot of traffic to the site. Kate had no idea if that would translate into votes, but the buzz on twitter seemed to indicate that it might, as information she posted was almost endlessly re-tweeted. She wouldn't know the outcome for sure, until election night, but she was hopeful.

Kate hadn't expected it, but Akamai's residence in the Castle home had actually made life easier. He and Lily made a team that could easily ride herd on the twins for an hour or two, if she and Castle needed some time together. Lily glowed almost as much as if she was wearing a pair of firefly pants, and Jake and Reese appreciated having someone approximating a big brother, even if he was barely an inch taller than they were. Akamai missed his family, but regular Skype sessions helped. Castle was also getting a steady stream of shipments of incredible coffee beans.

Both Akamai and Lily had been accepted into the High School of Performing Arts, well known as the "Fame" school, and into The High School of Music and Art. They'd had long discussions about which school would be the best choice, but had finally decided on Performing Arts, primarily because of their joint attraction to contemporary and theatrical music. Martha, who drew some of her students from the school, was over the moon at Lily's selection and called frequently for updates on Lily's activities at her new musical training ground.

* * *

Castle pulled off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He'd written the final paragraph of his story, or at least what he hoped was the final paragraph. He'd look at it with fresh perspective in the morning and see what he wanted to change. He could hear Lily and Akamai at the piano, with Jake accompanying them on a drum. The music they were playing wasn't intrusive, if anything it lent some energy to his efforts. It didn't always work that way. Sometimes he needed silence as much as he needed air, especially when he was working on a tricky plot line, but the house was quiet during the day, and he could have the moments of peace he needed during those hours.

It was only four days until the election. The last big push would be over the weekend. He and the kids would be with Kate for some of that, posing for family pictures. She'd be doing Monday night on her own. She would be giving her last big speech before election day, then throwing a party for her staff, and especially for the volunteers, who'd worked on her campaign. Then Tuesday, she and Castle would have a quiet dinner at the house and not even turn on the news until the polls closed. The race was close enough so that it might not be called until late at night, after the kids were in bed. Whatever happened, he and Kate would watch together from the couch, and drink either champagne or scotch, whichever was appropriate to the tally.

Castle had to admit to himself, that in his heart of hearts, he wasn't sure if he wanted Kate to win. She wanted to, which was reason enough to be her biggest booster, but if she lost, he'd see a lot more of her. So would the kids. It wouldn't last long, he realized. Kate Beckett was not one to be idle. It just wasn't in her DNA. If she lost the election, she'd plow ahead, going hammer and tongs to do whatever she could for FTC, the environment, and whatever else stoked her passion. She was Kate Beckett, the woman he loved, the butt kicking woman he would always love. No election could change that, no matter who was elected.

* * *

Scootchie listened in satisfaction to the sounds of furor coming from the office of Slugman's campaign manager. Earlier, a nerdish looking fellow had gone scurrying in. Scootchie assumed that he was Slugman's go-to computer guy. He'd seen the type before, usually behind the counter of a computer store. They knew all the basics; how to connect cables, how to set up a network, even how to recover files. It was all stuff he knew long before he reached middle school. But to go bit by bit in the code, to spot just where a zero had been switched out for a one, and vice versa, that was way beyond their capabilities. He knew a couple of people Slugman could have called, who might have a prayer of finding and reversing Scootchie's handiwork, but he sincerely doubted they would be on Slugman's radar. They would rather go over the event horizon of a black hole, than near a Luddite jerk like Slugman. Scootchie couldn't wait to hear the howls of frustration emanating from the campaign staff.

A/N: My husband, who has been programming computers professionally since the late sixties, told me several different ways in which Scootchie might do what he did to keep Slugman away from that file, without leaving too much of a trail. I had to stop him from burying my brain in the details. Isn't it nice to know that it could be done? Or is it?


	232. Chapter 232

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 232

It was hard for Kate to grasp that her term as a U.S. Senator was about to begin. It wasn't as if she hadn't been preparing for it. She had thoroughly researched the issues that were highest on her agenda. The power delivery system was at or close to the top of the list, and though she hated to give him any credit, the citations in Grid Goblin's manifesto had helped. It was a bit of a flashback to see references to papers by Paul Deschile, the boy who had barely escaped death in the Hayden Planetarium. As the nut bar Simon Doyle, who claimed to be a time traveler had predicted, Deschile had moved up in the scientific ranks, particularly with regard to energy. She hated to admit it, but so far Doyle had been mostly on the money. She and Castle did have three kids. Castle had gone on to write literature, although Star Train didn't fall into that category. Doyle was also right about her becoming a senator. All of that could have been coincidence, she'd certainly never concede to Castle that it was anything else. But then there was the coffee stain... She shook off her unnerving speculation. One wild eyed believer in their marriage was enough.

Her whole family would be attending the swearing in ceremony. She wouldn't be taking Johanna for this trip to DC. In consideration of providing some comfort for her dad and Martha, Castle had chartered a more luxurious plane. With any luck, by the end of her term, construction of, or at least plans and funding for, a high speed train to cover the New York to DC route, might be in place. Turk Brown had managed to move the cause forward, somewhat. If she could, she'd return the favor, finding some way to insert money for brain injury research somewhere into a funding bill. It would be the least she could do.

She heard Castle come up behind her and felt his lips on the special spot on her neck. "Getting all your ducks in row?"

Kate shrugged."I hope so. In the last two days, I've had six calls with Mary Jo Simmons, who's been Turk Brown's chief of staff. She's been working on setting up things for me. I'll be keeping a lot of his people."

"Not all of them? Who would want to walk away from you?" Castle questioned.

"The ones who joined his staff in the first place, as part of jock worship. Somehow I don't hold the same appeal as a winning football player."

"They've just never witnessed your unique athletic gifts. Just as well, for my peace of mind. Did you get a chance to look at the pictures of the condo my real estate agent located in Alexandria?"

"It's really nice Castle - and really expensive."

"There isn't much down there that isn't. We have a buyer for the house in Albany. That'll kick a few bucks into the housing pot, but Kate, the money's not an issue. You know that. I want you to have a decent refuge for the times you can't come home. And it's a terrific investment. Property down there appreciates like crazy. I've reserved a great hotel suite for us, but we can all have a look at the condo while we're down there. Maybe Lily and Akamai can create some good juju by writing a song for the place."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Good juju huh? I don't think there is such a thing in DC."

"There will be when you're there," Castle insisted.

* * *

Akamai didn't feel right about having his picture taken with the Castle family, at Kate Beckett's swearing in ceremony. He'd hung back when photos were taken on the campaign trail, but at the ceremony in Washington, there was really no place to hide. It was a family photo, and as close as he was to Lily, and to the Castles, he had a family of his own. It seemed like an insult to his parents, all his relatives for that matter, to claim membership in another one, even if he was living with them. Now if he and Lily were married... He was startled by the thought. It hadn't occurred to him before, or at least not very often. He and Lily hadn't even kissed, not a real kiss, anyway. She kissed his cheek when they got an award for incorporating cultural diversity into their music, but that was not the same thing. They'd never even had a date. Who has a date when you live in the same house? Then he realized that Lily's parents did. But they were married. He pushed the thought away. Under Mr. Castle's watchful eye, he and Lily wouldn't do anything except write music together, and for now, that was okay. He looked around the room. The only real retreat was the men's room he'd spotted earlier, and he really did need one. He hurriedly explained where he was going, and left the ceremony. The photographer was making the rounds quickly. He'd be gone long enough to avoid appearing in a shot.

* * *

JG Slugman knew he was in trouble. The source of the financing of his super pac had been well disguised, but he knew where the money came from. He also knew they were not happy with him. The information their hackers had sent should have swung the election. He'd tried to explain that his people were unable to open the file, but they didn't believe him. They claimed their copy was just fine and that his staff was incompetent. Not that any of them were with him any longer. When the results of the election had come in, he'd fired the lot of them, but that had not served to mollify his benefactors. They had an agenda of their own, and he was now in no position to deliver on it. They were going to want to see something to justify their investment, and he had nothing to give. He knew what had happened to others who made those investors unhappy. They had unexpected fatal illnesses, one car accidents, or somehow fell out of windows. There was no way he was going to let that happen to him. He needed to get the hell out of Dodge.

* * *

In the over-sized luxury hotel suite the Castle retinue was occupying before everyone except Kate flew back to New York in the morning, Rick stretched out on the king bed. He scanned the headlines on his tablet, while Kate performed her nightly routine in the bathroom. Breaking news flashed across the screen. A plane had gone down, not long after taking off from Teterboro Airport, killing everyone aboard. With Kate logging so much air time, and likely to log much more, plane crashes always gave him a sick feeling. The loss of the pilot and co-pilot was tragic. They were both family men, with wives and children. The name of the lone passenger immediately caught his eye, JG Slugman. According to the story, the reason he was aboard the plane was unknown. His wife had been unaware that he had even planned a trip. Well, it wasn't unknown for men who'd lost a battle, to go off somewhere to lick their wounds. Perhaps that was all that had happened. Slugman might have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time, as was the unfortunate crew. Castle ran his fingers through his still impressive head of hair, and shook his head. If he were writing the story, Slugman would have a much less innocuous reason for his flight.


	233. Chapter 233

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 233

Kate was frustrated. It wasn't as easy to get home as she'd thought. Votes were called at crazy hours, including two o'clock in the morning. Cap had been a lot more sensible about things like that. There were lots of holiday breaks through. She would be home for sure for a three day weekend for Martin Luther King Day. She doubted that was what he was thinking about when he spoke so eloquently of freedom, but she would take it. As usual, Castle had gone overboard. The condo was beautiful and came completely furnished, courtesy of a retired congresswoman who'd enjoyed her time in DC more than her time at home. That wasn't what the founding fathers had in mind. Senators and representatives were supposed to spend much of their time in their home districts, with their constituents. A lot of things weren't what the founding fathers had in mind, but there was nothing she could do about it.

She had managed to talk to Castle a couple of times that day. Things on the home front didn't sound too chaotic, but she didn't know if he'd tell her if they were. He'd been his smiling supportive self, but she could tell he'd been holding back a little. When she made it home to New York, they would have to have a heart to heart.

* * *

Mary Jo Simmons was going crazy, or as close to it as she ever came. Working for Kate Beckett wasn't difficult. Compared to the last days with Turk, it was a walk in the park. The only problem was that not only was Kate a rookie, as Turk had been, when she made up her mind, she was unmovable. The town was all about compromise, and she imagined Kate must have made a few in her life, but if she was willing to make any now, Mary Jo had yet to see any evidence it. Well it was still very early. The Senate hadn't even been in session for two weeks. No doubt beltway reality would begin to chip away at the armor of the warrior queen, but there was no telling how long it might take.

Kate wanted action on the power grid - immediate action. It was a noble cause, but one nonetheless vigorously opposed by some members on the other side. Most surprising was Shellene Starrett. She had always been a centrist, at times even slipping a little to the left. That had not made her beloved by her party. It hadn't seemed to bother her until the last election cycle when she'd barely kept her seat. An opponent in her home state of Ohio, had put up a strong battle, outspending her three to one. Shellene had been losing ground until a few days before the election, when support from a new pac had turned the tide. As illegal as it officially was, Mary Jo suspected a wink and a nod at a quid pro quo. Since her return to Washington, Shellene had definitely found a new drummer to march to, and the beat was jarring.

* * *

Castle slipped off his glasses, leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. His writing for the day was done, finally, but it was ten P.M.. It had been a day of squabbles - nothing big - just enough to continually break his train of thought. His "Star Train of thought," he mused wryly. The twins had chosen that day to pick a fight with Lily, dashing madly around the house, acting out their newest battle scene while Lily and Akamai were trying to finish a composition that was due the next morning at school. Castle had eventually sent sent Jake and Reese back to their room, but requested that Lily and Akamai do their composing on keyboards with earphones, so whatever clamor the twins produced wouldn't sabotage their work.

The conflict had continued over dinner, with the twins deciding that they hated the pineapple that they'd liked fine on the pizza just the week before, and Lily stripping a couple of slices bare before throwing them in front of her brothers. Jake and Reese immediately threw them back, hitting both Lily and Akamai. The latter, as far as Castle could tell, had been blameless. Castle didn't know if things would have been any better had Kate been there, but at least he would have been able to take his time in the bathroom without worrying about another outbreak of hostilities. He'd had worse days, much worse days, but he still really needed a break. It had been a long time since he'd looked forward to a three day weekend quite so much, especially one when he had no intention of going anywhere.

* * *

Early Friday night, Kate landed Johanna at Sullenberger Field. The session had adjourned at noon, but she'd stayed in DC for a couple of extra hours while Mary Jo placed stacks of paperwork in front of her. She'd tried her best to get through it, or at least see that it was properly delegated, but in the end, she took the tail end of the pile home with her. She hadn't wanted to, but it beat spending any more time in DC. She reluctantly hung the messenger bag full of documents over her shoulder, as she climbed into the car she'd called for the short ride home to Fieldston.

Cory yipped joyfully as she came through the door. She dropped her bag and squatted down to scratch him behind the ears, as Castle came to greet her, with Lily close at his heels. She rose for a welcoming kiss from Rick, before giving Lily a hug. The twins, not to be left out, began a detailed description of their latest creation.

Castle held up a hand. "Whoa guys! Give Mama a chance to breathe. How about a round of hot chocolate before we proceed with the debriefing."

"And chocolate cherry brownies?" Jake asked hopefully. "You said you were saving them for when Mama came home."

"So I did," Castle agreed, "But Mama gets first pick, and none of them are going to anyone's room. I want some left for tomorrow."

The twins grudgingly agreed.

It took an hour for the recounting of slights and victories, real and imagined, but finally the twins were settled down enough to begin preparing for bed and Lily returned to Akamai and her keyboard. "Looks like you had a busy day," Kate observed.

"I saw that stuffed bag you dropped by the door," Castle replied. "I'm guessing you did too."

"Yeah, things are not going quite the way I expected them to."

"Do they ever?" Castle asked.

Kate regarded her husband, taking in the depth of the creases between his brows and the extra set of luggage beneath his eyes. "Are you okay, Babe?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"That's not an answer to my question," Kate returned. "Something's going on here besides the kids deciding to play war for a day."

"I just wish you could be here more, that's all, or that I could be in DC with you some of the time - and not with the kids in tow."

"Castle," you know there isn't much I can do about my schedule, at least not until I get my bearings and figure out what is and isn't really necessary. Then it may get better. But maybe you can spend a little time in DC. We could hire some kind of help here, like an au pair. We'd still be the ones bringing up our kids, but someone else could take over the refereeing duties now and then."

Castle nodded slowly. "It's a thought. I'll look into it. But you know what I could really use right now?"

"What?" Kate asked.

"A nap," Castle declared.

Kate extended her hand to him. "Yeah. Me too."


	234. Chapter 234

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 234

Scootchie didn't want to do it. He didn't want to stage another demonstration. From the communications in DC that he'd been able to monitor, Kate Beckett really was trying to get the ball going on the modernization of energy delivery. He certainly didn't want anyone to get hurt. But the ten months were up, and if he didn't keep to his warning, Grid Goblin could lose all credibility. He began to put is plan in motion.

* * *

Kate stretched lazily. It was a Monday morning and she was in bed with her husband at their home in Fieldston. The long weekend had gone fast but there was still this day left. There wasn't any mail delivery and neither she nor Castle expected have any significant work to do. Other than watching a video of the "I Have a Dream," speech with the kids, she had no plans whatsoever. Castle stirred beside her. His voice was breathy as he opened his eyes. "Good morning. It was an excellent night, too."

"Yes it was," Kate agreed, "two very excellent nights. What do you feel like this morning? I'm cooking."

"I wouldn't dispute that for a minute. Oh, did you mean breakfast? That's delicious too. How about breakfast pizza? Put enough turkey sausage on top of it and maybe the kids will stay sleepy for a while."

Kate pulled herself up and leaned over to brush his lips with hers. "I doubt it, but we can always hope. Breakfast pizza coming up."

* * *

Scootchie bent over his keyboard. Hacking into the system he'd chosen proved more difficult than he'd expected. He considered selecting another target, but that would just set his time line back further.

Events just might work out for the best. By the time he managed to execute "Project Gridlock," the mall would be covered with crowds celebrating the holiday. They could stay there for a while, it would make for great TV. If the celebrants were lucky, they'd even have access to portable rest rooms. He hoped any obstructive politicians would be caught in the fray, but he doubted it. They had mostly fled DC. Still, they wouldn't be able to avoid hearing about the chaos he'd be causing in answer to their continued stubbornness.

* * *

Kate swiped at the tears on her face as Lily and Akaimai finshed their "Humanity Sonata." Alongside the demands of their schoolwork, they'd been working on it ever since the beginning of the school year. It had been meant as a salute to the diversity of human beings and their music, but it fit in perfectly with the meaning of the day. Kate was beyond proud of her daughter and wished that some of the assholes in DC had a fraction of Lily's empathy for other members of the human race. She glanced at Rick. His eyes were moist as well. "It needs drums," Jake complained.

Lily and Akamai looked at each other and nodded. "We though so too," Akamai agreed. "In many parts of the world, percussion is the most basic, or the only part of music. We wrote a drum part. When you learn it, you can play it with us."

"I can make illustrations for a slide show," Reese offered. "Can we do it all on Presidents Day?"

Lily and Akamai didn't even have to look at each other to agree. Unable to believe the sudden congeniality, Castle feared that disaster would strike. As the day passed it began to seem that he was being paranoid. A simple lunch of burgers, fries, and salad, saw no outbreak of sibling conflict. The twins decided to play a video game and Lily and Akamai settled down in front of a movie. "This is eerie," Castle noted nervously.

"I know," Kate agreed, "but I like it. Want to play a game of our own?"

"The kids are all awake," Castle mourned. "Sadly, no strip poker. Scrabble?"

"I was thinking Trivial Pursuit," Kate said, "something for which we've rarely had time, lately.

"You've got that right!" Castle agreed. "But you're on." Castle was glorying in his superior ability to collect colored wedges when Kate's cell phone let out an obnoxious alarm. "Don't answer it," he urged. You're still on holiday. You don't have to start back for another hour."

"Castle it's an emergency notification." Kate listened to the message. "Wow! Every single traffic light in Washington DC is cycling randomly. Traffic is in a complete gridlock."

Castle had already begun walking toward his office. "Let's see if we can find out more details." Dropping into his desk chair, he flipped open his laptop and activated the feed to his big screen. "Kate, I think he's at it again. The traffic lights have gone crazy, but the transponders on emergency vehicles still work to turn them green, so ambulances and firetrucks can still get through. Our perpetrator is actively trying to avoid letting anyone get hurt. This has Grid Goblin written all over it."

"You're right Castle," Kate concurred. "The timing makes sense too. The ten months he allowed for some action are just about up. Well until this is cleared up, there's no reason for me to fly back to DC. I'd just be stuck at the airfield."

Castle grinned. "You know, I'm really beginning to like this guy. It will be interesting to see what the message he puts out this time, is."

* * *

Shellene Starrett grit her teeth as she listened to the threatening words pouring through her phone.

"I did what you asked," she protested. "I blocked any motion on anything having to do with energy. What do you want me to do, hunt this jerk down? The FBI hasn't been able to do that. Neither has the world consortium against cyber crime."

Shellene listened to her instructions. "What you're asking me to do would prevent any kind of progress in this country. We still haven't caught up from the last time the funding was pulled from basic research. You're going to plunge us into the dark ages." The voice rasped again. "You know what, I don't give a shit!" she responded. "I became a senator to try to do something useful. I thought by playing ball with you people I'd find a way to continue that work. But I was wrong. Do what you're going to do. I'm not going to watch my country down the tubes and I'm sure as hell not going to help make it happen."

* * *

Castle stowed Kate's empty coffee mug in the dishwasher. "I wish the Grid Goblin had kept things tied up longer. I hate seeing you go back to DC."

"Babe, at this moment I'm not crazy about the idea either."

The tablet Castle had been reading over their parting coffee together, signaled an alert. "Scandalous, just scandalous!"

"It takes a lot for something to qualify for that word with you. What happened?" Kate wondered.

"Someone put out nude pictures of your, and I use the word loosely, colleague Shellene Starett," Castle replied, shrugging and putting the tablet back on the table.

"Since when are you scandalized by nude photos, Castle?" Kate inquired.

"I'm not offended that she's naked," Castle explained. "I'm outraged that they are really bad pictures. No art to them at all, like someone just planted a camera in her bedroom and took video of her getting ready for bed."

"Well she did have sudden shift in her political stance," Kate pondered. "Maybe that's just what someone did. Shellene must have decided to stop knuckling under to their threats. Well damn! Good for her."


	235. Chapter 235

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 235

Castle could see the excitement radiating from Kate's face through the screen of his laptop. "Babe, Shellene Starrett has agreed to co-sponsor energy legislation with me! We're drafting it to provide funding for the modernization of the power grid and for research into the development of new sources of energy."

"That's great!" Castle responded. "It didn't show in the pictures, but that woman has balls."

"Yes she does," Kate agreed. "It's refreshing to have a friend across the aisle. I just hope it's the beginning of better things."

"I have some refreshing news as well," Castle announced. "I believe I've found the right au pair for our exuberant offspring. Her name is Colleen O'Malley and she's from Ireland. Jenny put me on to her. They're second or third cousins; Jenny wasn't sure. Colleen has seven brothers. She came to meet the twins today and had them under control before they even realized what was happening. Lily was staring at her in pure wonder."

"How did Jake and Reese feel about her?" Kate asked.

I think they've inducted her into their pantheon of warrior princesses. Reese has drawn a new character already, that looks a lot like Colleen. We're going to try a couple of weeks as a probationary period. If you don't like her when you meet her, I can kick her loose, but I think you will. You two are kindred ass kickers. I think this is going to work."

"She sounds terrific. I look forward to meeting her. It should be soon. If nothing unexpected comes up, I should be home this weekend."

"I'll keep my fingers crossed," Castle said, and my toes and maybe my eyes too."

* * *

Mitchell Brock stood nervously in front of the leader of the Brotherhood, Wayne Cotton. Physically, Wayne was not imposing. He was shorter than Mitchell, and not nearly as broad, but power streamed from the depths of his dark, almost black eyes. "You made a bad decision, Brock. Your actions have badly set back our efforts."

Brock forced a voice, raspy from an unfortunate kick to the throat during a teenage sparring session, from his throat. "Yes sir. It was a serious miscalculation. Plans are already in force to address the situation. Starrett's betrayal will not go unpunished."

"See that it doesn't," Cotton commanded. "Or the next punishment will be yours."

* * *

"Thanks for the dinner invite, Kate," Shellene said. "I've been living on pizza, subs, and coffee."

"Mm," Kate nodded, "reminds me of my days as a cop. My husband worked hard to make me see the error of my ways. He introduced me to fine dining, which also included New York's best cheeseburgers. I have a friend who owns an upscale restaurant. She also occasionally aims me more toward haute cuisine."

"Are New York restaurants as expensive as the ones in Washington? Coming from Ohio, I had some real sticker shock. I know a lot of our colleagues are millionaires, but I'm just trying to make it on my salary, and with having to keep a roof over my head in two places, it's not easy. But then I'm sure that's not your problem. You're married to a best selling author."

"No, I understand," Kate responded. "I spent a lot of years living on a detective's salary, and in Manhattan that wasn't easy either. After Castle and I got together, I had a hard time accepting being surrounded by the trappings of wealth. He understood that. He grew up with a single mom. When he was a kid, she had a hard time making ends meet. We're not letting our kids grow up thinking they can have anything they want either. Their allowances are reasonable for their ages." Kate sighed, rolling her eyes. "That doesn't keep my twins from campaigning for the newest focus of a kiddie marketing blitz, but we're keeping things under control, more or less."

"Wish someone had done that for some of the jerks on both sides of the aisle," Shellene remarked. "They might have a better feel for how people really live outside the beltway and their gated communities." Shellene looked at the menu, where every dish was described in short rhyming verses. "This is an interesting place. Literary themes are unusual for restaurants, especially featuring a poet like Ogden Nash. What put you on to it?"

"More like who," Kate replied. "Years ago, when my husband and I were still just engaged, I was working down here for the Attorney General's special task force and he came from New York to visit me. I can't tell you much about what happened. The whole affair is still classified. But I can say that he came within a hair of dying. He discovered this place while he was recuperating. He said that anywhere that would proudly declare that 'Candy is dandy but liquor is quicker,' was a place he wanted to patronize. We had some good times here."

"You miss him," Shellene observed.

"Him, my kids, the dog. Sometimes when I hear someone bloviating about some idiocy, I just want to climb in my plane and go home."

"Well I don't have a plane, but I know the feeling," Shellene agreed. "So what's good here besides the 'quicker liquor?'"

Kate smiled and pointed at an entree. "'The Catsup Bottle. First a little, then a lottle.' Despite the name, It's flavored with soy and peanut. Once you eat a little of of it, you do want a 'lottle.'"

Shellene nodded. "Not what a good Midwestern girl was brought up on, but I'll give it a whirl."

* * *

Kate pulled her newly leased car up in front of the house Shellene shared with two senators and a congresswoman, while she was in Washington. As Shellene opened the passenger door, Kate saw the faint dot of red light from a laser sight. "Shellene! Get back in the car!" Kate gunned the engine as Shellene pushed herself back into her seat. A rifle shot shattered the back window as Kate sped away."

"Shellene drew in a deep breath, trying to slow her heart rate enough to make some sense out of what had just happened. "Was someone trying to shoot me?"

"Maybe," Kate replied. "They could have been aiming for you, or me, or both of us. But since you live there, it is probably a fair bet they were gunning for you. Call the Capitol Police. Have them meet us at my office. The bullet that smashed the window should still be in the car somewhere. Maybe they can trace it and figure out who was shooting at us. There might be some evidence in the area around your house too. Call your roommates and tell them to stay in the house, or if they have to leave, not to disturb anything in the yard until the scene can be secured and searched for evidence. My guess is the Capitol cops will want to start a canvass of the area, to see if anyone saw anything."

"Kate, you still sound like a cop," Shellene observed. "Tonight I'm really glad you reacted like one."

"Me too. My husband still tells me sometimes that you can take the girl out of the precinct, but you can't take the precinct out of the girl."

"Fortunately," Shellene noted, "your husband is right."


	236. Chapter 236

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 236

Late Saturday afternoon, when Kate finally arrived at the Castle castle, the first thing she heard was an Irish lilt insisting that Jake and Reese clean up the mess they made, before they spent any more time on their stories. She peeked into the kitchen to see the twins scrubbing ketchup off the floor, then retreated quickly enough that they couldn't use her arrival as an excuse to interrupt their labors. Suppressing a chortle, she went to look for Rick. She found him in his office, totally absorbed in writing a new story. "Castle?"

Rick looked up. "You're home! After what happened with Shellene Starrett, I wasn't sure you could get away."

I wasn't sure either, but the Capitol Police got a ballistics match on the bullet that was in my car, and they're pursuing the investigation. They don't need any more input from an ex-detective, at least not right now."

"Do I detect a little bit of resentment there, Senator Beckett?" Castle asked.

"Resentment and relief. I didn't like being pushed out of the investigation, but I was glad I could come home in time to witness a miracle in the kitchen. I assume that its perpetrator is Colleen O'Malley."

"You assume correctly," Castle replied. "She runs a tight ship, or at least a tight castle. I think the boys are in awe of her. I know Lily is. She and Akamai were able to get through an assignment undisturbed Friday night. They actually had time to go to a movie with some other kids from school, today, while Colleen and I took the boys to Aikido. I figured I'd familiarize her with the place. She said she'd seen Irish dancers who could kick higher than the sensai, but I think she enjoyed watching the boys go through their moves. They're really getting good, especially Reese."

"Hm. I would have though that Jake would be coming out on top. He's the one who wanted to take the classes in the first place."

"I know, right?" Castle agreed. "But Reese is the one with the discipline, and that's what scores points. He concentrates on getting his moves precisely right while Jake just goes for it. It's like Reese's art. He pays attention to all the details. And speaking of details. What is that bullet a match to?"

"I'm not sure what to make of it and neither are the Capitol Police, but the bullet is a match to some that were found at the site of a shoot out between the FBI and some wing nut militia group. According to the FBI, they're based in Idaho, but they must have expanded their operations."

"Or someone sold or gave away the gun," Castle suggested.

Kate nodded. "Yeah, I thought of that too, but the cyber crime unit traced the leak of those pictures of Shellene to an IP address that has been tied to the group. But Babe, they were small time, more interested in keeping their women barefoot and pregnant and citing some discredited constitutional interpretation as an excuse for not paying their taxes, than they were in going after government officials. If someone hadn't claimed that the children in their compound were being kept away from medical care and education, the FBI wouldn't even have shown up. Of course the bozos immediately assumed that the feebies were there to take their guns and rape their women, so they started shooting. The FBI had to take a few of them out. Fortunately none of the children was injured. I think someone is using that group as their soldiers, someone with an agenda. I just wish I could figure out who. My gut says the Grid Goblin is involved in all this somehow, just on the other side of the equation. I have to wonder if he has any idea who the mover and shaker in all of this might be."

"Why don't you ask him?" Castle proposed.

"How am I supposed to do that? The FBI and several intelligence agencies haven't been able to figure out who he is. How am I supposed to get in touch with him?"

"You don't have to know who he is Kate. Just put your question out there. There have been forums and discussion groups that have sprung up all over the place, devoted to this guy. Also God knows how many Twitter accounts. If he's monitoring any of that, he should notice a question from Senator Kate Beckett. After all, you two definitely have some of the same issues on your agenda. If you want, I can do it for you. I'm very good at making my presence known on the web."

"And everywhere else. Yes, I noticed that twenty years ago. Okay, I'll put something together, if you want to give it a shot."

Rick winced. "Ooh, don't say 'shot!'"

* * *

Scootchie studied the message that had appeared on the energy discussion forum. He'd seen it pop up in several locations and traced it back to Richard Castle. The writer hadn't even tried to disguise his identity, but Scootchie had confirmed it anyway. That left little doubt that the message had originated with Senator Beckett. They were one of the country's more well known couples, especially in geekdom. So Kate wanted to get in touch with the Grid Goblin. So far she seemed to be doing good work, good enough to justify his having kept her on an even footing with her late, unlamented political opponent, JG Slugman. Scootchie wanted to get a message back to her. He just needed to make damn sure he didn't get caught. He put a lot of effort into covering his tracks, then sent a missive to Castle. It seemed like the most straightforward thing to do.

* * *

Kate moaned in delight in the warm swirling water and softly scented bubbles of the Jacuzzi. The condo in DC was nice, but it had nothing like this. The senators had gyms and health clubs, but they were mostly old boys clubs. Going to a spa would have been nice, at least until the chatter about peels and eye lifts got on her nerves, but she really hadn't had the time. She did now, however briefly. It had been wonderful to sleep in her own bed next to her favorite warm body. She was almost falling asleep again now. Reluctantly she pulled herself out of the water. As interesting as the irony might be, she wasn't about to survive some asshole with a rifle, just to drown in her own bathtub. She grabbed a large terri bath sheet and let the roughness of the nubby texture stimulate her to a more wakeful state, before wrapping herself in her robe.

Following the siren scent of freshly brewing coffee, she found Rick in the kitchen, staring at his tablet. "Oh Kate, much as I hated the thought of disturbing you in your frothy retreat, I was going to bring this to you."

"Bring what, Castle?"

He handed her his tablet. "This. It's a message from Grid Goblin. He says he has some information for you and wants to set up a meet."

"Castle, that could be from anyone. How do you know it's from him?"

"I don't, Kate. But you said you wanted his help. I think it's worth finding out, don't you?"

"We've taken it this far, Castle. I guess it is."


	237. Chapter 237

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 237

Kate looked around the rock masquerading as an island, where Castle had docked the boat he'd borrowed from another author - one who made Castle look poor. "I can't believe Grid Goblin wanted to meet here. It must be the most low tech place in North America, or at least near North America."

"Think that's the point," Castle said. "No cell towers, no reason for a satellite to have eyes on the place. It looks like at most, the occasional fisherman might drop in, and even then, not for very long. No one can approach unseen. If I were going to write another Derrick Storm, I might use a place like this for a rendezvous - of a non-romantic nature."

Kate consulted her watch. "When did he say he'd be arriving?"

"Two P.M.. I had to convert that from Greenwich mean. We have a few minutes yet." He gazed up at the sky, empty except for clouds. "You know, I think that one up there looks like Lily's purple elephant, except tor the purple part."

"Castle that cloud is almost completely shapeless."

"Exactly my point," Castle returned.

Kate pointed upward. "Those look like a couple of bunnies over there, and that looks like a duck and... is that an ultra-light?"

"Sure looks like one," Castle agreed. "And it's heading this way. That would explain why there's no boat on the horizon."

Shielding their eyes from the sun. they followed the approach of the tiny vehicle. Finally it landed nearby. A wiry man in a goblin costume emblazoned by glowing broken lines, climbed out. "Senator Beckett, Mr. Castle."

"Grid Goblin?" Kate inquired.

"That's me," the visitor confirmed.

"Nice plane," she commented about what looked to her more like a flying go-cart.

"Cool huh?" Scootchie responded. "It's completely solar powered with a brand new lighter, more efficient type of solar cell. A friend of mine developed them, based on a whole new category of materials. They could revolutionize how things are powered in in this country, if we can make our grid compatible."

"You're preaching to the choir," Kate told him."Shellene Starett and I have been working to bring a bill to the floor. That's actually why Rick helped me get in touch with you. Do you monitor what's going on with this issue? Do you have any idea who would be trying to take Shellene out?"

"You mean you don't" Scootchie asked incredulously. "I call them the waybackers, like Mr. Peabody and the way back machine. They want to make the world the way they think it was. They're crazy, but I don't think they're running the show. I think they're being used."

"By whom?" Castle asked.

"I'm not sure, Scootchie confessed, "but I have an idea. There's a group that's been running beneath the radar for years. They've been taking control of resources as a way of controlling the people who depend on them. You've seen it. Fewer and fewer corporations, eating all the little guys and growing bigger by owning and controlling more and more. The control of energy is the key. If everyone can access it freely, they lose their hold on power."

"You make them sound like villains in a Bond movie," Kate said.

"Nothing that easy. They're not about to confess all their plans to some super spy because they think he's about to die. They'll just hide in the shadows and take out anyone who doesn't fall in line. I think that's why they set their trained dogs on Senator Starett. She was toeing the line for them, and then she got out of step. When the release of those photos - and I did trace who did that- didn't get her back into lockstep, they went after her."

"But wouldn't that mean they'd come after Kate?" Castle queried anxiously.

Scootchie shook his head. "Not if they're working the way I think they are. No offense, Senator Beckett. You have guts, but you're new in DC and you don't hold any power at all. Without your alliance with Senator Starrett, or others like her who've been playing the game for a long time, you couldn't push through a - excuse my French - damn thing. That's why I've been trying bring attention to the energy grid problem. We fix that, get the country going down the right road, and we'll throw a major glitch into their code."

"Assuming that you're right," Kate said, "we can't wait that long to turn over the rocks and expose the ugly creatures beneath. How do we stop these people now? How do we even find them?

"Same way you find anyone, Senator," Scootchie answered. "Follow the money, just follow the money. I've picked up a few threads here and there. I can send you what I have. Just watch your snail mail. No one, not even me, can hack paper. Look, I need to get out of here. When high tide comes, there won't be enough space on this rock for my plane to take off. Just keep an eye on your mailbox, the one the brick and mortar post office stuffs junk mail in." With that, Scootchie returned to his flying contraption.

Castle studied the tiny craft as it took off. "I want one of those."

"Castle, it's only a one seater and you don't know how to fly," Kate argued. "Besides, a plane like that offers no protection at all in a crash. If you went down, you'd end up a bloody smear on the ground. Colleen or no Colleen, the kids still need Daddy, and so do I."

Castle pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "You do have a point. Ooh! Maybe I can get a remote controlled version, like a drone. Then if it crashes, no blood, jut a pile, a very small pile, of parts."

"You never do stop wanting to play with toys, do you?" Kate teased.

"I thought you enjoyed it when I played with my favorite ones," Castle returned.

"I do," Kate admitted, "but right now we have other things to think about. Do you believe the Grid Goblin, or do you think he's been reading too many graphic novels?

"It is not possible to read too many graphic novels," Castle insisted, "but I don't know if I believe him or not. Shadowy forces trying to control the world? That's a trope for a bad book and a worse movie. On the other hand, if the energy wars Simon Doyle predicted were to come about, that could be the way they'd happen."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Oh no! This is just getting worse by the minute."

"We will find out, Kate," Castle pointed out. "As urged by the Grid Goblin and hucksters on TV only an insomniac could love, 'Watch your mailbox.' If there is anything to what the Grid Goblin says, there should be evidence in whatever he sends."

"If he even sends anything," Kate replied. "We should be heading back, Babe. We need to return Stephen's boat. I have to get back to DC, and I'm sure that you have more than enough to keep you busy until our mysterious envelope makes an appearance - if it ever does. Don't you have a new book about to launch?"

"I do," Castle agreed. "The fold in space the Star Train travels on developed a wrinkle that Pirri had to iron out. He and the passengers found themselves in a pocket universe where the gravitational constant is off just enough to make everything weird. It's called _G Whiz_."

"Sounds like fun, Castle. I'm just hoping our Goblin isn't living in some kind of pocket universe."

Castle revved up the motor of the boat. "Yeah, so do I."


	238. Chapter 238

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 238

Castle smiled, as his laptop signaled a Skype. Kate had managed to get in their lunchtime date. They'd agreed that she'd do it if she could. The gentlemen and gentlewomen of the Senate were not fond of starving, so she usually got a chance. "Did anything come from the Grid Goblin yet?" she asked.

"No," Castle replied, but the mail isn't in yet, and my guess is that he mailed it in a way that couldn't be traced, so that lets out any of the faster services. Assuming he did send it, we may still have to wait a day or two. Anything interesting going on in the Senate today?"

"Actually, yes. We're supposed to have a vote on the confirmation of the new director of the FBI. She's an old friend of ours."

"Jordan Shaw?" Castle asked.

"The one and only scourge of serial killers everywhere. I look forward to getting a chance to talk to her and catch up. You know she's grandmother now?"

"Tell her I said hello, and if she needs any help on a tough case, my brilliant crime solving mind is still available."

Kate snorted. "I'll pass on the message Babe."

"How's Shellene doing?" Castle inquired.

"She's got a twenty-four hour a day security detail on her. The Capitol police are actually working with the FBI, since her shooting seems to involve crossing state lines, or at least the shooter's gun did. I wanted to talk to Jordan about that too."

"Are you going to bring up what the Grid Goblin said?"

"I can't. So far we don't have a single shred of evidence of what he said. If it all turns out to be some kind of weird conspiracy theory, I'd lose all credibility with her. But if we get something solid, I can see about getting her involved. Until then, we need to keep that to ourselves, and that means you too, Castle.

"Kate, I know how to keep my mouth shut, unless I'm catching marshmallows in it. That's a new game the twins picked up, but so far I'm the household champ."

Kate laughed and shook her head. "Of course you are. What does Colleen think about it?"

"We only play when she has a class, or is out somewhere," Castle admitted. "She has been spending some time visiting with the New York branch of the O'Malley family. We're only contracted for forty-five hours of childcare a week, but she's willing to pitch in if there's an emergency."

"That's good to know. Sounds like Jake and Reese are having a good time. How are Lily and Akamai doing?"

"They've pretty well settled into the new term at school. As far as I can tell, their relationship is still musical. Lily's been talking about wanting to go to Hawaii with him this summer, to visit his family. I've been thinking that if we do it over your summer recess, we could all go."

Kate sighed. "The idea of sunny Hawaii sounds enticing right now, but I can't even think that far ahead. I'm sure Lily would be safe under the Kahales' roof, and Akamai needs some time with his family. When we're a lot closer to summer, we can work out the details. Oh! I hear that obnoxious blast they use to call us in for a vote. I need to go. Talk to you later?"

"Count on it."

Castle leaned back in his chair in satisfied anticipation.

* * *

Mitchell Brock could feel the sweat on his back as he stood in front of Wayne Cotton. He'd failed in his mission and now he knew the promised punishment was coming. He wasn't sure how it would be carried out. He just knew that Wayne would use it to send a signal that failure was not an option. Four other members of the Brotherhood stood between him and the door, and they all had their hands on their guns. "I've decided to show you some mercy," Cotton announced. For a fleeting moment, Mitchell's shoulders sagged in relief, but Cotton continued. "Out of respect for your long service, I'm going to allow you to die quickly." Cotton nodded at the other men in the room. "Take him out to the drill area, and assemble the other men."

Mitchell felt as if his feet were stuck to the floor. He was grabbed, dragged to the open space in the compound, and secured to a wooden post. One man stayed to guard him, while the rest dispersed to follow Cotton's orders. As the uniformed men gathered, carrying their rifles, Cotton emerged from the building that housed his office. "Some of you are going to receive a special honor," he announced, striding along the troops who stood stiffly at attention. He touched ten men on the shoulder and invited them to line up in front of Mitchell Brock. When Cotton gave the order, bullets from all ten rifles burned into Mitchell's body. As Cotton had promised, Mitchell died instantly.

Castle heard the alert on his phone that told him that someone was within range of the front door camera. He brought up a picture on his screen. The mail carrier was stuffing a large envelope into the Castle Family mailbox. He smiled in satisfaction. The Grid Goblin had come through. He hurriedly retrieved the envelope along with the day's usual assortment of junk and catalogs. There was no back address. That was not surprising. The postmark was from a post office in Connecticut. That could be a clue to Grid Goblin's identity but Rick doubted it. Grid Goblin could have easily taken the train from New York to do his mailing. The sheaf of paper inside was thick, detailing communications and activities the Grid Goblin had tagged as suspicious. If he was going to check every detail, it would be a lot to go through, but it would be worth it. Despite the goblin's theory, if someone was after Shellene about an energy bill, they could be after Kate too, or she might just be caught in the crossfire. The bullet had been found in Kate's car. She could easily have been hit. The sooner he figured out what was going on the better.

* * *

"Kate, this is amazing coffee!" Jordan exclaimed. "Where did you get it?"

"Special delivery from the Kahale plantation in in Hawaii," Kate explained. "It's a long story, but the scion of the Kahale family is in residence with my family. The coffee is a perk of the arrangement."

"I'm sure that's a very interesting story," Jordan mused, "maybe you can tell me all about it later, but right now I'm much more interested in your account of the attempt on Shellene Starrett. I've read the reports, but details often get lost in the translation."

"There's really not much to tell," Kate replied." I saw the light from the laser sight and got Shellene back in the car. I floored it and the bullet shattered the back window as we took off. The car is on a lease, and now that forensics ripped it apart to find the bullet, the insurance company is refusing to pay for the damage, but that's another kind of crime."

Jordan laughed. "You sound like Castle, but yes, that part of it is definitely not my department. So do you believe the shooting had anything to do with...?

Kate's cell rang with a distinctive tone. "Oh, that's Castle. We were expecting something and …," Kate listened for a moment, then looked at Shaw. "Jordan, there may be more to the story."


	239. Chapter 239

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 239

"What's going on Kate?" Jordan asked, after Kate had put away her phone.

"There may be a connection between the attempt on Shellene Starrett and the death of JG Slugman."

"Where are you getting that?" Jordan pressed. "As I recall, Slugman's death was ruled an accident, mechanical failure."

"More like assumed to be an accident," Kate corrected, "but since it happened over water, there was no complete reconstruction of the plane. If there was tampering, it might not have been discovered. I've put in enough flight time to know that it wouldn't take much. But here's the connection: The PAC that had been funding Slugman, suddenly started funding Shellene. That PAC has links to ultra-right wing organizations, the kind that support militias. The bullet found in my car was from a right wing militia."

"Kate, I know about the bullet. That's what brought the FBI into the investigation, but where are you - or where is Castle - getting the rest of that?"

"We have an unlikely source," Kate explained, "consider it a confidential informant. Castle just finished double checking some of what we were told. He can tap into the resources of Richard Castle Investigations, which are extensive and sophisticated. The evidence is pretty strong."

"If by sophisticated, you mean marginally legal access to information, I don't want to know," Jordan declared. "But I'll get my people to look into it. I can do that a lot more easily now than I could when I woke up this morning." Jordan drained her cup. "I don't suppose you have any more of this coffee."

"If it will help speed the investigation along, I'll make sure you're supplied," Kate promised.

* * *

"Grant, as much as I appreciate your efforts to sell my books, this is not a great time for me to do book signings," Castle protested to the re-installed marketing manager of Castle Press.

"I know it's a hassle for you, Rick, with your wife in DC, but I'll keep the events in New York for now, or at least the greater Metropolitan area. We have to keep the Castle Press name out there. Sara El-Masri, Charlie Pichel, and Kevin Ryan are selling, but you're definitely still the marquee name, especially with the TV tie in with Star Train."

"Alright," Castle agreed grudgingly, but I'll need to approve the schedule before you confirm any appearances."

"Done!" Grant exclaimed.

Castle turned back to his computer. In fits and starts, he had been confirming the details that Grid Goblin had sent, as other concerns, like Castle press marketing and his partnership with Manny Swift intruded on his time. There had also been a couple of matters from the Old Haunt, that needed his attention, but he was still making progress. So far, Kate would probably label what the goblin had concluded, as speculative, but it had a pretty strong foundation. Despite his costume, the hacker was remarkably sane.

Castle had considered getting Alexis involved, but given that one person had died and two more, including Kate, could have, he was hesitant to involve anyone else. And Alexis was finally beginning to breathe again. Elizabeth had made it almost seven months past her first birthday without another emergency She was walking well and beginning to talk up a storm. The toddler looked on strangers with some suspicion, but around the extended RCI family, she was fine, and in the sweet spot before the terrible twos would accentuate any cantankerousness flowing from the Castle genes. As much as he hated to think of himself as getting older, Castle was enjoying being a grandfather to both Bernard and to Elizabeth. Bernard's interest in solving crimes had persisted, and he loved listening to Alexis and Sergei talk about cases. When he visited with Castle and Kate, he asked questions about the crimes they had solved. He'd become an unofficial mascot to RCI. Bernard was too young for Castle to make any predictions, but if he continued on his present path, he could end up following in the footsteps of his parents or his grandparents. Castle enjoyed picturing RCI eventually passing to another generation. Dynastic detectives might even make the basis for a new book, or series of books, when Star Train ran out of gravitons.

Rick was derailed from his train of thought by Kate's ring tone on his cell. "Find a break in your day?" he asked.

"More like a break in the case," Kate responded. "I just heard from Jordan Shaw. There was a body found in Massacre Rocks State Park in Idaho."

"Isn't Massacre Rocks also known as the Devil's Gate?" Castle asked.

"It is," Kate confirmed. "It's near the Snake River, all of which makes a macabre kind of sense, as a place to dump a body. Talk about a massacre. The guy had ten rifle bullets in him, all from different guns."

"Sounds like he was killed by a firing squad," Castle noted.

"He might have been, Castle. Prints and DNA link him to a militia group called The Brotherhood."

"You think he might be tied to the attempted hit on Shellene?" Castle questioned.

"Jordan thinks so. You know how she is on behavioral clues. The man was wearing a uniform, but the epaulets had been ripped off. That's what 's done to shame a coward or a turncoat."

"Or someone who fails in his mission," Castle added.

"Exactly. He could have been our shooter. The FBI is investigating what groups might be connected to The Brotherhood."

"Kate, there was something about The Brotherhood in the goblin's notes. He was keeping tabs on their websites. I can forward the information to Jordan."

"She's going to be even more curious about the source of our information," Kate warned.

"She can be as curious as she likes, as long as her team starts looking in the right direction," Castle declared. "If these people will kill their own, who knows what else they'll do. Just because the goblin was right so far, doesn't mean that he's right about those people not coming after you. They need to be brought down. They needed to be brought down yesterday. And you need to be careful Kate."

"Babe, don't worry. I can take care of myself."

"Yeah," Castle muttered. "When have I heard that before?"

As soon as his call with Kate ended, Rick made one to Jake Pullman. "How do you feel about reprising an old job?" he proposed.

"What job?" Jake inquired.

"Protecting my wife, preferably on the down low. Reese too, if he wants the work. I'm thinking he might not want to get too far from Eva and the baby, but maybe he can join you when Kate's New York. I don't want you putting in an appearance as her bodyguard, just check things out. See if there's any unusual activity. Make sure no one tampers with her car or her plane and be ready to jump in if something does go down."

"And if she spots me?" Jake asked.

"Tell her the truth. She'll figure it out anyway. If she gets upset, she can get upset with me. I've seen Kate brush off threats before, when she was younger and stronger. She ended up hanging off the side of a building and a lot worse. So will you do it?

"I'll catch the next shuttle for DC," Jake replied.


	240. Chapter 240

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 240

Castle looked up to see Lily In the doorway of his office. "Daddy, who wants to hurt Mama?"

"How much did you hear?" Castle asked.

"I heard you talking to big Jake and asking him to watch out for Mama."

"Come here." Castle wrapped his arms around his daughter. "I don't know if anyone wants to hurt Mama or not. I know that someone shot at her friend, Senator Starrett, and Mama was there. I also know that Mama and Senator Starrett are working on the same piece of legislation. So I'm being careful. That's why I'm sending Big Jake."

"I want Mama home with us," Lily declared.

"I miss her too," Castle commiserated. "But Kate Beckett is Kate Beckett. If she wasn't committed to her fights, she wouldn't be the person that she is, the person that we both love and want to protect. You know the story of how your brothers got their names. Big Jake is very good at what he does. He's protected Mama before. Between him and all the people whose job it is to make sure all the senators are safe, Mama should be fine."

Lily was unconvinced as she put her head on her father's chest. "I hope so."

* * *

Early in the morning, the FBI squad took their places surrounding The Brotherhood's compound. "Look sharp!" Special Agent Avery instructed through their coms. "Orders straight from the director; don't shoot unless it is absolutely essential. We need to get some intel from these wing nuts, especially the leader, Wayne Cotton. Expect that he will be protected. Seize computers, files, anything you can find. Collect all the firearms. Let's get the gas in there." Canisters of sedating gas were fired into the windows of the barracks and main building, leaving only the sentries to mount a defense. Mini-drones homed in, shooting tranquilizer darts into the sentries. Two guards raised their rifles before falling to the ground, but no bullet found a mark. "Move in!" Avery instructed.

Consulting images of Cotton, the squad searched the compound. Two unconscious guards were slumped in front of a locked door, which was quickly kicked in. "Hey Avery," one of the men called. "You've got to see this!" On a thin mattress, in a spartan metal framed bed, Wayne Cotton lay unconscious or asleep. His arm was curled around a raggedy scrap of fabric and his thumb was thrust into his mouth.

Avery strode into the room. "What did you...? He couldn't help laughing. "Get a picture of this. And make sure you bring his 'bankie' along with him. The director is going to love it! I have a feeling she's going to want to question this one herself."

* * *

Jordan Shaw climbed aboard the FBI jet that would take her to the field office in Idaho. She studied the picture her former partner had transmitted. Thumb guy would be a case study at Quantico. He might even be a case study in criminal psychology classes around the world. Consistent with procedure, every moment of his interrogation would be recorded. Those recordings would probably be preserved for posterity. They might even make for some great scenes in a movie.

Idly, she wondered if Rick Castle would want to write it. The agents she had watching Kate had noticed that she had another observer, who a quick check had revealed to be a contract operative for Richard Castle Investigations. Jordan wasn't surprised. She'd known Rick was hopelessly in love with Kate, long before Kate did, or at least before Kate would admit to knowing it. If anything, it would have been surprising if he hadn't taken steps to protect his wife. The former detective had never lost her charge into hell attitude, with whatever perils followed on its heels - and Rick had never stopped having her back.

* * *

Shackled at both his wrists and ankles, Wayne Cotton was led into a room bare of everything except two heavy metal chairs and a metal table. He was pushed down into one of the chairs, his shackles attached to the table, and left to wait alone. Jordan Shaw and Jason Avery watched Cotton on a large observation screen. How long are you going to leave him there?" Avery asked.

"I'll watch for the signs of stress. We can take him to the point where he'll be desperate to talk to anyone. Do we have the ballistics report back on the bullets in the body from Massacre Rock?" Jordan inquired.

Avery nodded. "Just like you thought. They matched ten of the rifles found at The Brotherhood's compound."

"So we potentially have everyone we brought in, for either murder or felony murder. That's a start. Has bankie man said anything up to this point?"

"The usual, that his people are just exercising their second amendment rights to bear arms. Didn't even ask for a lawyer."

"Uh huh," Jordan acknowledged. "Probably thinks if he does, the people holding his leash might send one to get him out or take him out. More likely the latter." She pointed at the screen. "See that? Sweat on the forehead, and his armpits are soaking through. If it weren't for the chains, he'd probably have his thumb in his mouth again. The bush league tyrant is terrified of real power, ours or anyone else's. Let's get a cup of coffee and leave him to stew for a while longer. Then he should be ready to spill his guts for anything we offer."

* * *

Rick could tell from the look on Kate's face on his screen, that she was on to Jake. She didn't even bother with a greeting. "Castle, you didn't have to send me a keeper."

"I did if I want to sleep at night, Kate," Castle argued. "And even then, I'm still getting nightmares."

"I get it. You sent Jake because you can't roll me in bubble wrap and put me in a safe place until Grid Goblin's boogeymen are caught. But Jordan Shaw has a detail on me. I spotted them even faster than I can spot one from the N.Y.P.D.. Better cars and much better suits. I've got the Capitol Police watching me too. I'm probably better protected than Lindsey Teal is."

"That may be," Castle returned, "but I'm going to keep Jake in place, anyway. Lily overheard me talking to him. She's worried about you too. I can even hear it in her music. So can Akamai. He's been trying his best to cheer her up, and Cory slept in her room last night. I know she'll feel better if she knows Jake is there."

Kate raked back her hair. "Oh Babe, I never wanted this to touch the kids."

"Well it did, Kate. And you know Lily was worried about you even before this happened. She's a teenage girl. You have to remember what that's like. I remember when Alexis was Lily's age. It took a lot less than this to trigger major angst. Lily's got an artistic personality. She's even more prone to spikes of emotion than Alexis was, and Alexis had a couple that were almost off the charts. Lily's trying to be supportive of you and your work, just like I am, but she's having a really hard time."

"Castle, I don't know what to say. If I resign, then the bad guys win. I don't think you want that to happen and I don't think Lily wants it to either."

"Kate it's up to you. It always has been. I'm not going anywhere and neither is Lily. But you need to think about what's happening at home while you're off pursuing your crusades."

"I will, Castle, I promise."


	241. Chapter 241

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 241

Wayne Cotton was glad to see the woman who sat opposite him. He would have been glad to see anyone who interrupted the crushing oppressiveness of the four walls of the bare room. Jordan Shaw slowly opened a file and paged through it slowly, letting Wayne wait. Finally she nodded and gazed across the table. "So, Wayne, you and your little tin soldiers executed some poor schmuck. I'm surprised. You and your group are so into the wishes of the founding fathers, yet you forget a person is entitled to a trial by a jury of his peers. We don't even have to get into cruel and unusual punishment. You are guilty of murder. Everyone in your little band of ignorant misfits is guilty of murder, whether they fired a killing shot or not. That's the law Wayne. Not only are you going to spend the rest of your life in jail, you've damned everyone in your command to permanent residence behind bars."

Jordan rose from her chair and started to walk toward the door, her heels clicking loudly against the hard floor. Cotton flinched. "So that's it? That's all you came in here to tell me? There's got to be a deal or something!"

Her back to Cotton, Jordan smiled to herself. She turned back to the sweating prisoner. "Oh there's a deal alright, Wayne." She slid back into her chair. "Here's the deal. "I don't believe you were in charge, Wayne. I don't believe you are capable of making decisions on your own, except the kind of decisions made by a flunky. And I know you didn't have the money to run your operation, pissant as it was. You see, we checked your computers and examined your records. Those funds came from someone with the wherewithal and the smarts to set up accounts in the Caymen Islands. That's not you. I doubt you've ever been near the Cayman Islands, or anywhere people with any status in life go. So here's your deal and it's a one time offer which expires in ten seconds. Tell me who your master is, and I'll talk to the Attorney General about reducing your charges to second degree murder, and those of your mindless followers to involuntary manslaughter. You may even see the daylight again someday. You may even get sent to a prison with more of - your kind of people." Jordan pushed a pad and a pen across the table. "Write down a name, a phone number, an email address, anything you know. We get the guy at the top, and you and your – and I use the term loosely - men, will get your deal."

Wayne Cotton grabbed the pen and began to write. Jordan smiled at him. "Good boy!"

"You're not really going to let that guy off on second degree, are you?" Avery asked, when Jordan had finished with Cotton.

"Come on Jason, even the director of the FBI can't dictate charges. I just told that asshole that I'd talk to the AG. I will. We're scheduled for a briefing tomorrow. What she decides to do is her own business, but if I know Sally, she'll charge him with every offense she can muster and maybe make some up to go on top of them, like a cherry. Her husband was a senator. He got wounded by some nut bar taking potshots. She doesn't take anyone trying to take out elected officials, lightly. We're going to enjoy spearing the big fish together."

* * *

Kate used her chopstick to poke at the food from what was supposed to be the best Chinese restaurant in Alexandria. Maybe it was, but she didn't find it the least bit enticing. She thought about going out and handing the carton to Jake, but she suspected that a whiff of it might make him wish he was back in New York with Mai. Hell, she wished she was back in New York. What Castle said had really gotten to her. She knew she'd piled a lot on him over the years. She'd always thought his broad shoulders more than capable of handling it. He'd never said otherwise. He still hadn't, but it wasn't just about Castle anymore. It was about Lily. Castle was an adult, even if he did still dearly treasure his toys. He made his own choices and his choice had always been to stand with her, whatever decision she made. Maybe she had taken advantage of that. It was beginning to sound like she had. But now she and Castle both had Lily's feelings to consider. It had been hard enough to watch her daughter crying her heart out at the anticipated loss of the musical yin to her yang. Then Castle had figured out a way to fix that problem. But Lily's fear for her mother's safety could only be fixed by Kate, and Kate had no idea how to do it. Even if she resigned less than two months into her term, there was still a fight to be fought, and she was possibly on the wrong side of some very nasty people. It wasn't the first time she'd been in that position. It wasn't even the first time Castle had wanted her to back off. It was the first time she had a teenage daughter impacted by the situation. When the twins' namesakes had saved her from Assange, Lily had been too young to understand. She didn't even remember. But she understood now. Kate would just have to do the best she could to reassure her daughter, and possibly rethink her plans for the future.

* * *

Kirk Templeton slammed his palm on the surface of the heavy teak table, with a thwack that echoed throughout the room. "What the hell! The FBI got Cotton and all his soldiers?"

"It's not confirmed sir," his assistant, Garvin Champ replied, a slight tremor in his voice. "The FBI is playing this one close to the vest. There have been no news reports, no official statements, just postings on social media from people in the area who think they've heard something. As yet, nothing has come from anyone we consider reliable source. We are continuing to monitor the situation."

"Dammit, we need to do more than monitor the situation. We need to know if they do have Cotton and whether he's spilling his guts. Who do we have in the FBI?"

"No one in a helpful position, sir," Garvin reported. "If what is out there about the operation is true, it's being managed from the highest level, and the leaks have been plugged. Same thing with the DOJ. Sealed up tight."

"Then get the hackers on it," Templeton ordered. "Pull in some help from our people in Europe. Let me know as soon as you have something."

"Yes sir," Garvin agreed, leaving the room as fast as he could.

Templeton looked at the occupants of the other seats around the table, all possessed of a Y chromosome. "Damn women!" he exclaimed. "In the Senate, in the DOJ, now in the FBI. When we take over, these fucking lesbos are going to be kicked back to the kitchen where they belong. Now, we were discussing blocking that new wind farm installation. Where are we on that?"

At the end of the table, the youngest man in the room projected slides on the screen. "It looks like the regulations requiring extremes set backs, passed during a previous administration, will be withdrawn by the Ohio legislature. They are getting full backing from their party in Washington."

"Fucking mess!" Templeton declared. "See what you can do to screw up their funding. There is no way we can control the world's energy supply with these kind of independent sources of power sticking their slimy green heads up everywhere. We need to whack these moles back in their holes where they belong."

The men around the table nodded in concert.

A/N I didn't name the Attorney General after me. She's named after Sally Yates. And yes, there was legislation in Ohio, doubling the set backs, the distance around them, for wind farms. There is legislation in the works to make the rules more reasonable - from a Republican!


	242. Chapter 242

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 242

"It's a mess, Kate," Jordan Shaw declared. "The information Wayne Cotton gave us has led to some very powerful people. They are hiding behind legal barriers and layers of corporate misdirection. We are going to have to move slowly and carefully, making sure we have our facts straight at every step. It's not going to be easy."

"Maybe we can bring them out into the open," Kate suggested.

"Kate, you are not stepping into the line of fire," Jordan insisted.

"No more than I already am," Kate returned. "Senator Starrett and I have been hammering away at the promotion of our energy agenda. Shellene's been very effective at pointing out that there is money to be made, and getting members of her party to sign on. I have the support of the environmental activists. Both sides have reached out to the leadership of the House, to get them to draft their own bill. It's a collaboration that's working, and it's moved way beyond Shellene and me. The legislation is going to committee for hearings and we expect them to take place on an accelerated schedule. If these guys are going to make a move, they'll have to do a lot more than come after me and Shellene - and they'll have to do it fast.

What kind of a move are you expecting?" Jordan asked.

"I don't know," Kate admitted. "But my informant has his ear to the ground and he's been very good at picking up chatter so far."

"Yes he has," Jordan agreed. "I'd love to put those skills to work in our cyber crime division."

"I doubt that could happen. He's not exactly the suit and tie, drive a black SUV, type."

Jordan smiled and shook her head. "You must not have ever paid a visit to cyber crime. They're a little - different. But they can't recruit him if they don't know who he is."

"Then you're definitely not recruiting him," Kate asserted. I never burned an informant when I was on the force and I'm sure as hell not going to start now. I'll let you know if he comes up with anything. Now I have a hearing to attend. I'm not a member of the committee, but I have a special invitation."

Jordan nodded thoughtfully. "Good for you. I will be in touch."

* * *

"Daddy, look at this," Lily called, waving her father over to where she and Akamai were studying a document on a tablet.

Castle regarded the article on the screen. "A summer conservatory program starting in Georgetown. That's right near Washington DC."

"Yes, I'd get to see Mama, and it's starting at the perfect time, Daddy. Akamai and I will both be off from Performing Arts for three months then."

Castle's lips came together in a hard line as his brows pressed toward the bridge of his nose. "I thought you both wanted to go to Hawaii this summer."

Lily bobbed her head enthusiastically. "We do, but the program is only for six weeks. We'll have time to do both."

"Akamai, have you talked to your parents about this?" Castle queried.

"It's early there," Akamai reminded Rick. "New York is six hours ahead. My father will be out with the workers on the plantation now, and my mother will be doing the books in the office. I thought I'd call later."

"Then let's all have a little video conference together in a few hours. I'll see if I can get Kate in on it too, then we'll see what we come up with," Castle decided.

Castle strode to his office, hoping to reach Kate before reaching out to the Kahale family. "Castle, I was just going to call you," Kate said. "We need to get another message to the Grid Goblin."

"Kate, tell me you're not getting any deeper into this case than you already are," Castle worried. "Do I have to send a commando squad down there to join Jake?"

"Relax, Babe, I want to bring this whole thing to an end, as least as much as you do. But the best way to do that is to help Jordan gather some decent intel. The goblin has been right on the mark so far. The sooner we put this thing to bed, the safer I, and for that matter the country, and the world, will be."

"I'll put out the word," Castle agreed. "But I needed to talk to you about something else." Castle quickly explained about the conservatory program.

"It sounds terrific for the kids. What's the problem?" Kate questioned. "I'd love to see more of Lily."

"And what if while Lily's in DC, our mysterious bad guys decide to grab her - or worse - to get to you?" Castle wondered.

"First of all, Castle, she could just as easily be grabbed in New York. She and Akamai take the subway back and forth to school every day."

"No they don't" Castle admitted. "I got them a car service, run by a security company. Reese recommended them. Apparently he and the owner are of long acquaintance. That was your 'First of all.' What's number two?"

"Number two is that it wouldn't help whomever it is at all, to strike at me, or go after Shellene again. They'd have to go after the leadership on both sides, especially the chairs and ranking members of three different committees and their opposite members in the house. This fight has gone way beyond the level of a rookie player, Castle, I'm proud of what I've done, but it's largely out of my control now."

"Kate, I have a hard time believing you'd let anything out of your control. It's not your nature. But I'll take you at your word. So are you ready for a 'Hang Out' with Lily, Akamai, me, and the Kahale family tonight?

"It would be my pleasure," Kate replied. "I could use a touch of the islands right now."

* * *

Kirk Templeton's eyes flashed darkly at his assistant. "Champ, are you trying to tell me that we have nothing?"

"I'm sorry, sir, but yes. All the back doors our people had been using have been closed and sealed. It's obvious the FBI is on to something. But we have no idea how far they've gotten or how close they are."

Templeton fumed. "Meanwhile, that energy legislation is blasting through both the Senate and the House. None of our connections have been able to stop it."

"Sir, I think at this point, you'd almost have to blow up the Capitol."

Champ swallowed as Templeton nodded thoughtfully. "Yes we might, we just might. Get rid of a load of bleeding hearts, tree huggers, and traitors all at once. I want you to set up a secure call. I think you know to whom."

"Yes sir," Champ agreed, shoving his hand in his pocket to hide the tremor. "I'll call you as soon as it's arranged." Champ left the room as quickly as he could, without appearing to run.

Templeton dropped into his leather and mahogany desk chair. Steepling his fingers, he leaned back and closed his eyes. He would have to pick a time when he could inflict the most damage. The action would have to be just before a break, or at least a weekend, when the members of congress were hurrying to make it look like they were at least accomplishing something useful before leaving town. He could picture smoke and flames rising as the domed building collapsed, taking a large number of the people standing in his way, with it. Kirk Templeton smiled.

A/N I'll be going to the Comic Con in Denver this weekend, and meeting up with some fellow fans. My posting schedule may be erratic. I have no idea how long I'll be standing in photo op and autograph lines. If any of you are planning to be there, I'll be dressed in a costume that looks a lot like the little wizard that's on my profile and that I use as my Twitter icon. Say hello.


	243. Chapter 243

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 243

Castle stared at the email from Grid Goblin. Castle hadn't even tried to contact him, but it had the ID code they'd agreed on. The message was terse. He was sending Castle a file, separately. It would be encrypted and the code to decrypt it would only work for Castle. A hacker would be out of luck. Even if goblin hadn't said so, the situation was obviously urgent, or goblin would have used slower and/or more exotic means to get his message to Castle.

Castle could do nothing but wait - pace and wait.

* * *

The perfect situation was in place. Both the House and the Senate had planned voting blitzes, before the legislators took off for the weekend. Templeton's associates would be planting a new generation of explosives, undetectable by dogs or sniffers. He would have loved to take out the White House too, but it would have been useless. Lindsey Teal would be meeting with foreign leaders in Paris, and some of them were sympathetic to his cause. They weren't totally committed yet, but after the Capitol Building was reduced to rubble, he would have smoking proof of his power. Garvin Champ had shown signs of wavering in his commitment, but had steeled himself when reminded of the vulnerability of his mother and sister. As always, Kirk Templeton had the situation under control.

* * *

Lily and Akamai had barely left the piano. Akamai's parents had given permission for him to go to Georgetown, and Castle had given in as well. The teens were preparing an audition video. Castle had little doubt that they would gain admission. Kate had assured him the she would make damn sure that the kids would be safe, but he was weighing steps he might take as well. An alert sounded from the computer in Castle's office, indicating that Grid Goblin's message had arrived. He swallowed hard, as he went to retrieve and decrypt it.

Castle's throat tightened to the point where he wasn't sure that he could breathe. The message from Grid Goblin was like something he would have dreamed up for a Derrick Storm novel. The peril would persist until the last possible moment, when some dangerous and unlikely gambit would save the world. The world wasn't at stake this time, but it was close. The goblin had intercepted plans to blow up the Capitol. He had intercepted email messages and had easily broken the encryption. Since the process was less complex than usual, Goblin wondered if someone in the organization mentioned in the message, World Triumphant, wanted the communications intercepted and revealed. Perhaps someone had a thread of sanity. It couldn't be much. The whole situation was totally mad. Castle considered his next step. Neither he, nor even Alexis, had sufficient encryption skills to assure that anything he sent to Kate or Jordan Shaw, would not be intercepted somehow. He would have to go to DC himself and make contact in person. He said a prayer of thanks that he'd hired Colleen. The kids would be safe with her while he was gone, especially if he made sure Big Reese was looking in on them.

* * *

Jordan Shaw examined the documents Kate Beckett and Castle had brought to her, reading them over for the third time. "Hard to wrap your mind around, isn't?" Castle observed.

"An understatement Rick. I'm going have to mobilize just about every agent available just to check if there's any validity to this."

"But you believe it," Castle asserted.

"Unfortunately, I do," Jordan agreed. "but we have two tasks here. If an attack really is pending, we need to stop it, but we also have to trace it back to the people behind it. I'll be pulling in the entire IC. Whether this is domestic or not, clearly it qualifies under the terrorism statutes. That gives us a lot of latitude."

"You're going to evacuate the Capitol, aren't you?" Kate questioned.

"If I have to," Jordan replied. "But if we make any move that obvious right now, if an attack really is planned, they may back off and shift it to another time and or place. We'll lose our shot, So Kate, at least for now, I'm going to have to ask you not to give any indications of what might be in the wind to anyone, even at the highest levels. Castle that goes for you too."

It goes without saying," Castle agreed. "Kate, I'm going back to New York. I wish you'd climb into Johanna and come back too. In the unlikely event that your votathon still takes place, you can fly back again, but I'd feel better having you away from here, and the kids will love it if you're home early."

Kate sighed and shook her head. "Castle, I can't. You heard Jordan. I can't give any indication that anything is different, and Mary has six different meetings and events scheduled for me within the next couple of days. There may be even more than that by the time I get back to my office. I'll be home the minute I can. I promise."

Castle's eyes clouded. "I guess I'll just have to accept that."

* * *

Paul Deshile checked the small scale experiment he'd set up in the basement of the University's emerging energy lab. There was no doubt that his bacterial test culture had made a jump in time. It wasn't a large jump, only a few seconds, but they'd made it and they'd returned still viable. He was a long way from sending a human anywhere in the past, but the experiment proved that the foundation of his tachyon work was solid. Who knows what he could do if he ever got the funding for decent facilities and a competent staff? He was too jazzed to keep the news to himself. He had to leave his carefully shielded area, so he could call Scootchie.

* * *

Garvin Champ was trying his best to put something in his stomach. Nothing, not even ice cream, would make it down his throat. He didn't know what he was more afraid of, that Templeton's plans would succeed, or that his less than secure messaging would be exposed. He had no way of knowing if he had been intercepted and decrypted. Logs showed that the firewall at World Triumphant were pinged at least several times a day, sometimes way more often than that. The hackers were out there. He just hoped there was one good enough and smart enough to figure out what was going on and get the message to the right people. It was a long shot, but it was the only one he had. Not only couldn't he eat. He hadn't been able to sleep. He needed something either truly boring or truly bad to drive him into unconsciousness. He scanned through the directory on his satellite system. That just might do it. The Nikki Heat movie was on. As exciting as Richard Castle's books could be, that's how bad the movie was. It had scored a seven out of a hundred on Rotten Tomatoes. It did a little better on IMDB, no doubt courtesy of diehard Castle fans, but almost everyone agreed that it was awful. It wasn't as awful as what Templeton had planned, but then, what could be?


	244. Chapter 244

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 244

Jordan Shaw met in a secure room with the head of security agencies no one had ever heard of. "So it's true," she said.

Heads nodded gravely around the table. "There's no doubt about it," the only person around the table who wasn't formally dressed, said. "Our people checked the intercepted communications. The attack is going to take place. You'll just have to have your people in place."

"We can't detect the explosives. We'll just have to try to catch whomever is planting them, in the act. I'll have people positioned. So will the Capitol Police. I couldn't give them much in the way of details about the attack. I don't have them to give, but if an evacuation is necessary, they'll be conducting it. Is there any progress on tracing this back to the source?"

The young man spoke up again. We've made some progress. There is an electronic trail, but it is a faint one. We have people working on it 24/7."

"We're all working 24/7," Jordan pointed out. "Let's get out of here and get to it."

* * *

Scootchie grinned at the message Paul Deschile had sent. It was a welcome distraction from potential bombings. He still had no feel for the complex equations his friend had used to describe the process, although he appreciated the use of imaginary numbers in describing fourth dimensional coordinates. One thing was clear though, Paul had a handle on time travel. The possibilities were endless, but then so were the possible glitches. He and Paul'd had a lot of discussion threads about the butterfly effect. Could someone go back in time and change things? Would anyone survive? Paul had banged on the fact that he wasn't even close to the point where those possibilities could be explored, but they were still fascinating to speculate about. That was assuming anyone survived that long. Bad things were happening in the world. He just hoped that what he'd managed to discover, would be enough to stop them.

* * *

Kate followed the schedule Mary had laid out for her. One of her meetings was with Shellene. She would have loved to tell her what was going on, but there was no way that she could. It was probably just as well. Shellene had been under enough stress ever since the pictures had been posted, and because of the shooting. There was no point in adding to it. In response to some questions that had arisen during committee hearings, they would be working on some possible amendments to their bill. The work involved technical legalese, and was tedious at best, but the results would be worthwhile, or at least Kate hoped so. The way things were going, there was no way to know. Jordan was incommunicado. It was understandable. Under the circumstances, a stray word here or there, overheard in a hallway or through a door, could lead to unimaginable devastation. Still, Kate hated keeping Shellene out of the loop, and being out of the loop herself. Even bad news was better than no news at all.

She thought about calling Castle. He hadn't been at his most talkative when he'd left to go back to New York. She'd received a kiss and an emphatic embrace before he departed, but it was obvious that their relationship was strained. He'd very rarely given her a sign, but now she suspected that her constant absences had been wearing on him for some time. Lily's concerns were just the catalyst that brought them to the surface. Kate didn't know what to do. Leaving her position in DC now, was untenable, but if there was a breakdown at home - she just didn't know. Her family, and most especially Castle, had been her rock. She couldn't think of anything worth putting that in jeopardy for, except the safety of the nation and possibly the world.

That was the choice she was facing now, and other than leaving Castle to protect him from Loksat, it was the hardest one she'd ever have to make. She just hoped she'd have a chance to make the right one. After this crisis settled down, she would take some time with Castle and the kids, even if she missed a vote or two - assuming there was still a place to cast one.

* * *

Castle lay on his bed, his head propped on his forearm. He stared at the ceiling as if an answer would suddenly appear. There didn't seem to be one. He missed Kate. He always missed Kate. But he could live with it, or at least he had so far. He just didn't know what he'd do about Lily. Her anxiety for Kate hadn't abated. Anything he told her that might ease her mind, would be a lie, and he didn't want to go down that road. There was nothing on the news about any unusual activity in DC. The conspiracy blogs were reporting a high level of activity in the intelligence agencies. Considering the circumstances, they were probably right, but they were hardly a reliable source of information. There wasn't much he could do except wait, and he was getting bloody tired of doing that. Lying there as no help. There was no way he was going to sleep. At least he could get some writing done. He could start the detective dynasty series, and see where it went. The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. He could begin the story with a character who became a detective to spend more time with the woman he loved. He wouldn't have to research many details of that. He just wished he could think of something that would work with a senator. Maybe as he wrote, he'd think of something. His best ideas often flowed from his fingertips.

* * *

Kate cast her last vote. Nothing had happened. She'd noticed the Capitol Police indulging in some heavy activity on their walkie-talkies, but there had been no whisper of an evacuation or anything out of the ordinary. Maybe the threat had been a hoax or a scam, or maybe Jordan and her team had been successful. Either way, she was heading back to New York. She and Castle had a lot of talking to do.

Rick was so engrossed in crafting the opening chapter of his new series, that he hadn't even realized Kate had come home, until he felt her arms around his neck and her cheek alongside the rapidly roughening surface of his. He reached back to take her hand. "Welcome home."

You have no idea how glad I am to be here," she said.

"I would imagine, about as glad as I am to have you here. What happened.?"

I have no idea," Kate confessed. "Except for some of the overly serious looks on the faces of Capitol Cops, it seemed like the normal rush to sew things up and get out of town. How have the kids been doing?"

"Jake and Reese are in their usual superhero of the week mode. Lately they all seem to have Irish accents. Lily - you really should go see her. She and Akamai finished their audition video this afternoon and she's been shut up in her room ever since. Akamai was watching the movie version of _Hamilton_ , and she didn't even want to join him."

"I'll go talk to her," Kate agreed, "at least to let her know I'm home in one piece. Then you and I have to talk too."

Castle massaged her palm with his thumb. "Yes, we do."


	245. Chapter 245

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 245

Castle slowly opened his eyes and turned toward Kate. "We didn't get much talking done. Much as I enjoyed our alternate activity, it didn't solve anything. I have been having a thought, though."

"Babe, If you've come up with a solution, I'd love to hear it."

"Remember when you went to work for the AG's office and I found that little apartment with the home office? Turned out that when they canned you, we didn't need it, but I found it, and you liked the idea."

"I'm not about to forget that particular episode in our lives, Castle."

"Well I was thinking, Lily and Akamai are going to be out of high school before your term is over and the twins will have outgrown Lagi's Trails. After Lily graduates, if the conservatory down in DC is as good as Lily thinks it's going to be, maybe we should move the family there, or split our time somehow, so that you still qualify as a New York senator. I can still write from anywhere, and all the work for Castle Press is remote. The co-branding with Manny Swift will run on its own. I think Lily would be much happier knowing that at some point, we'll be together more as a family. I know I would. Until then, we could take it day by day and just spend as much time together as possible. Kate I don't expect you to stop trying to save the world, but maybe you could keep the crusades to a more manageable level, like they were during the summer, when you were in the State Senate."

"Castle, believe me, I want to. I'm not sure how. Maybe we can just feel our way for a while. We'll have to see how things work out with Georgetown too. Lily and Akamai might not make it into the summer session, or they might not like the place, when they do"

"True enough," Castle agreed. "And there is a certain attraction in - feeling our way."

"Kate grinned. "Yes there is. Want to grope around some more?"

"Senator Beckett, it would be my very great pleasure."

* * *

As they usually did, the reports surfaced first on the internet, but soon the networks were announcing breaking news. There had been a plot to blow up the Capitol, while the majority of both houses were casting votes. The talking heads made a point of announcing that the plan had not been hatched by outside terrorists, but had domestic origins. Politician after politician took the microphone in front of gaggles of reporters, demanding a full investigation.

Kate shook he head at the screen. "As if there wasn't one going on already. I doubt if Jordan's slept in the last few days." A blast of music announced yet another breaking story. Kirk Templeton, CEO of Worldwide Oil, had been arrested in connection with the attempted bombing. A series of other arrests had been made as well, with authorities withholding details for reasons of national security.

"Kirk Templeton," Castle repeated. "Wasn't he briefly and ignominiously Secretary of State?"

"Yes he was," Kate confirmed. "And he was way too cozy with some foreign leaders who did not have the best interests of the United States at heart."

"As I recall, they didn't have anyone's interests at heart but their own," Castle added. "Their own and their buddies making money pumping old dinosaurs out of the ground. It all makes sense, the development of new forms of energy, the modernization of the grid to use them, it would strike at the very heart of their profit center. Then they pull a bunch of guys who long for good old days that never were, to carry their flag. They could have easily sparked off an energy war. Maybe they would have, in some alternate time line."

"Alternate time line, Castle? What are you talking about?"

"Look," Castle explained. "Simon Doyle told us that fascists almost took control of the world in energy wars, right?"

"Castle, you can't be serious."

"Just hear me out, Kate," Castle urged. "What Simon told us was accurate up to a point. We have three kids. You became a senator - twice really. But then a random element was introduced into the time stream. Isaac Asimov had something like that happen in the _Foundation Series._ "

"Fiction." Kate interjected.

"But fiction based on science," Castle insisted. "Anyway, the random factor, he called him the "Mule," knocked everything off the track. I think our random element here, the one that sent things in a whole different direction, is Grid Goblin. In the future Doyle came from, Grid Goblin never existed. The plot was never uncovered and the energy wars took place. Parallel universes are actually a pretty widely held view of time travel. When you change the past, you don't change the future you came from, you create a parallel world, so to speak. It avoids paradoxes, like killing one of your ancestors, so you were never born in the first place. Temporal anthropologists like Doyle could have created a host of parallel universes and just thought that time was self-correcting in most situations. The Doyle we met, might not even have been from our universe."

"Castle, if by that you mean he was detached from reality, I'll agree with you."

"You're missing the point, Kate," Castle protested. "In our universe, the energy wars never happened, or will never happen. Maybe it's because of the Grid Goblin. Maybe it's because of you and Shellene, and the legislation you're pushing through, or maybe it's because Templeton's people were caught before they could blow up the Capitol. Maybe there are parallel universes where each of those events differ. We're not bound by specific events that must take place. We make our own future."

"That part I'll definitely agree with you about, which brings us back to your proposal about what kind of future we want to make. Assuming that Lily and Akamai make it into the program at Georgetown, after this summer, we, Lily, and the boys will make a decision together."

Sounds good to me, Castle declared.

* * *

Jordan Shaw was not finished. She wasn't close to finished. Even with Kirk Templeton taken down, World Triumphant had a lot of tentacles. The domestic ones were her problem. The ones overseas belonged to the CIA, among other scrambles of alphabet soup. It would take a long time to sever them all, if they could be severed. More likely, the world would have to come to a point where what World Triumphant wanted, would no longer be profitable, and Kate and the other politicians still had a role to play in that process.

* * *

When Monday morning made its dreaded arrival, Kate returned to DC with a renewed sense of enthusiasm. One way or another, there was light at the end of the tunnel. She would just have to make her journey along the tracks, fixing them when it became necessary. Other than her short stint on the AG's task force, she had always lived in New York. Having a part time residence in DC, as a senator, was not the same as living there. It would be more of an adjustment for her, than it would be for Lily and the boys. Then there was Akamai. Would his parents want him to go to college at the conservatory in DC? They might want him to come home, permanently. If they did, there was a strong possibility that Lily would want to go with him. She remembered how Castle was about the thought of Alexis going as far away as Stanford. A decision on Lily's part to live in Hawaii, could be cataclysmic. But that was all four years down the road. A hell of a lot could happen in four years.


	246. Chapter 246

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 246

Summer came faster than Kate could have imagined. Lily and Akamai couldn't wait for their residence in Georgetown, and she was looking forward to having her daughter close to her. Castle would be bringing the twins to DC sporadically, until the family excursion to Hawaii. She couldn't be in Hawaii the entire time the rest of the family was, but she could be there long enough to get the feel of the place and enjoy a holiday with her husband and her family.

It had been a strange few months. She knew Jordan was keeping her ongoing investigation as confidential as possible, as were the other organizations involved, but reports had to be made to the "Gang of Eight," and there were bound to be whispers in the halls. The more whispers there were, the more enthusiastic legislators on both sides were to pass legislation that would throw a monkey wrench into the plans of whomever was responsible for the plot to blow them up. They all took it quite personally. The chance of improvements to the future of the country in general, were a welcome side effect. In a way, she was feeling at odds and ends. The flags of the crusade she'd selected were, deliberately or not, now being carried by the majority of her colleagues. She was beginning to give more thought to returning to her hands-on work in New York, perhaps sooner rather than later.

Kate was checking her mail over a vanilla latte, in a coffee shop near her condo. She looked up at the sound of the bell over the door. A man was making his way toward the order counter. He looked familiar, like Simon Doyle, except that he didn't look a year older than he had in 2014. If anything, he looked a few years younger. It couldn't be, could it? That was about the age he'd be if he had traveled back in time from 2034. She thought he could be a doppelganger or a twin, until she heard him give the name for his order - "Simon Doyle." Grudgingly she considered that Castle could have been right all along. There had been the coffee stain that was hard to explain any other way. She wondered if this Simon Doyle would be a temporal anthropologist, if there ever even could be such a thing. She imagined that time would tell. Time would tell about about a lot of things. The family had agreed, at least in principle, to a future residence in DC, but perhaps it would not be necessary. Lily and Akamai had enjoyed their time in the program at Georgetown, but they had not been blown away by it. The style of music they had studied had not touched their souls. The family trip to Hawaii had been much better for them. It had also been pretty terrific for her and Castle. The twins had largely been adopted by the children on the Kahale plantation, and spent much of their time running around with them. Lily and Akamai had pursued their composing partnership at the Kahale home, much as they had in New York. That freed Kate and Rick to wander the beaches together.

It had been a time of renewal. They had strolled hand in hand along the sand, admiring the blue water, or just walking in companionable silence. Whether they made love, or she just slept beside him, the tension between them had flowed away. When the time came to return to the mainland, and to more time in separate beds, she faced it with great regret. She resolved to spend no more days in DC than she had to. In the nation's capital, there were no longer any windmills at which she felt an overwhelming need to tilt.

* * *

Castle scanned the opening of the newest chapter of the beginning of his detective dynasty series. The writing, and everything else, had been going much more smoothly since he and Kate had returned from Hawaii. She was home almost every weekend and sometimes days in between. The goings on in DC had definitely tapered off, at least for her, and she was make an effort to prioritize. It was a new stage of life for both of them, and he was thoroughly enjoying it. So was Lily, and the boys enjoyed having Mama around more too, even if they couldn't rejoice that she was constantly kicking ass. Colleen was still doing her job, but there were a lot fewer emergency requests.

In a way, Castle was getting a little nervous. There had been few times in his life with Kate when things had gone smoothly, and they were usually followed by disaster. Jerry Tyson came to mind. He was gone, but if anything, Kirk Templeton had been a more dangerous villain. Jerry concentrated on one victim at a time. From what Kirk had planned there would have been many, and Castle had no doubt that there were still true believers at large who were willing to do something stupid and destructive for the cause. It might just be a matter of time. But then that was his writer's view of the situation. He always pictured the worst scenario. The trouble was, he was often right. This time, he would enjoy nothing more than being wrong. Grid Goblin had been quiet. Castle hoped that was a sign that the hacker had better things to do than hacking his way into monitoring deadly conspiracies.

* * *

Despite the opinion Castle had given to Jordan about recruiting his source, the cyber division was working hard to find him. Jordan was between a rock and a hard place. Whoever the hacker genius was, he was guilty of illegal activity and should be liable for his actions. On the other hand, he had prevented a great deal of illegal activity, and highly dangerous illegal activity at that. That put him on the side of the angels. Recruiting him would keep the FBI from having to arrest him. It would also keep a lot of things from becoming public, something almost inevitable if he was charged with a crime. If he worked with the FBI, they wouldn't look at certain things hard enough to give the AG any cause to prefer charges. The people in cyber division hadn't made much progress. She could ask Castle, but since she didn't want to officially declare a crime a had been committed, there was no way Castle could be compelled to answer questions, and it was obvious that he and Kate would not give her any help willingly. She might just have to be patient and wait for a breakthrough, whenever it came.

* * *

Paul Deshile had just gotten his lab up and running, when the breakthrough happened. It had been totally by accident. A couple of grad students had been calibrating the equipment, when the pathway appeared. Their first non-bacterial subject had been a toad. One of the senior researchers had referred to the experiment as "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride." Paul didn't get the joke until he googled it and discovered it was a vintage ride at Disneyland, one meant for younger children, and not particularly wild at all. And Mr. Toad appeared to be just fine, at least so far. The grad student borrowed from the biology department had been watching the amphibian, and had yet to detect any side effects of its travels through time, but it wasn't as if the animal could talk. Paul had asked Scootchie to search for postings from the past, reporting weird things concerning a toad. Until the backwards jump was completely mapped, Paul was hesitant to move on to the next step in his research.

A/N On my way back from the con. Check out my new avatar. I was trying to enchant Nathan, but not really with the magic wand. I gave him Serenities in four different flavors of chocolate.


	247. Chapter 247

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 247

Scootchie was nervous, more than nervous, he was disturbed. He'd done as Paul Deschile had asked him to do. He'd found a funny story on an old blog, from a man saying that his son saw a disappearing toad. When he'd sent it to Paul, he hadn't received a response, not even an "ack." It wasn't like Paul. He always responded, and when it was about something regarding his work, the response was usually immediate. Scootchie hated making phone calls. Email and texting had saved him from a life of phobic terror, but he hit the phone icon on his cell now, and called Paul's private number. It went straight to voice mail. Then he tried Paul's new lab. The grad student who answered the phone said that Paul had shown up and they couldn't reach him. They'd sent another student to knock on the door of Paul's house. His self-driving car was in the driveway, but Paul never answered the door. She was worried, but the police weren't willing to do anything about it for 24 hours. Scootchie was states away from Paul, but he figured there had to be something that could be done more quickly. He sent a message to the one person who'd been his go-to guy before, Richard Castle.

* * *

"What do you think?" Castle asked, sharing Grid Goblin's message with Kate while she was on a break from a meeting.

"I think that considering recent events, having the name Paul Deschile come up is unlikely to be a coincidence, Castle. Aside from the events when Simon Doyle showed up sixteen years ago, Paul Deschile's research funding was one of the things restored by the recent legislation. Whoever is left of World Triumph's followers could very well have targeted him. I'm going to call Jordan."

* * *

When agents from the local FBI field station checked on Deschile's home, they found signs that the lock had been picked. The closet and drawers were open, giving the agents the impression that Paul had been surprised while he slept, and taken. Besides Paul Deschile's prints, there was one identifiable partial that appeared to have happened when someone's glove ripped. It belonged to Kirby Sessile, who had been previously arrested for insisting on bringing a firearm into a Federal building. Sessile's whereabouts were unknown, but agents were coordinating with local police to track him down.

* * *

Kate arrived home from DC, just in time to share supper making duties with Rick. "Have you heard anything more about Paul Deschile?" Castle asked.

"No, but I didn't expect to," Kate replied. "Jordan said she was passing the investigation off to Deschile's local field office. They wouldn't contact me directly, and Jordan doesn't have time to keep me updated until she gets something solid. The various committees and their hearings are running her ragged."

"Yeah, well there's nothing like trying to make sure their own asses are protected, to spur people into action," Castle agreed.

"So other than having hungry children to feed, what else has been going on here?" Kate asked.

"Performing Arts is going to do a special presentation of students playing their own compositions. It's going to stream on YouTube. Lily and Akamai are super excited. So are Jake and Reese. They're used to hearing them play music here, but to be able to watch it on TV will be a different experience. Jake wants to play drums along with the broadcast and Reese is going to make commemorative drawings."

"That is exciting," Kate agreed. I would imagine the Kahales will be able to pick up the broadcast too."

"Uh huh. For them it's going to be in the wee hours of the morning, but I'm willing to bet Ahe and Akela and their happy band won't wait to watch the recorded version."

"Would you?" Kate asked.

"Of course not!" Castle replied. "I'll make the popcorn. Aside from making Jordan's life miserable, what's happening in DC?"

"The usual. Everyone wants tax money for projects in their districts, but no one wants to tell their constituents they're going to have to pay it."

"That sounds cynical, even for you."

"It is," Kate admitted, "but it's the truth. It's not everyone, but there are enough lawmakers behaving that way to gum up the works. I'm going to stay with the Senate until I can see some kind of resolution to the whole World Triumph thing, but after that..."

Castle put an arm around her waist and kissed her hair. "Can never be too soon for me to have you back full time. You know that. That goes for the kids kids too."

"So how is your detective dynasty book coming along?" Kate asked.

Castle smiled smugly. "Very nicely. I'm using that time we had to break those zip ties on our asses. Coming up with the right descriptive language is delicious."

"Delicious about my ass or yours?" Kate teased.

"Both of course," Castle replied. "You have to admit that as fine asses went, as a pair, we were top drawer. We're not that bad now, especially you. I am, of course, only discussing the physical aspects. For other forms of assiness, an interesting competition could be held among your colleagues. That would make an intriguing live stream."

"It already does, Castle, it's called C-span, the cable channel people use to cure insomnia. "

* * *

"Paul Deschile looked around the room where he'd been housed. It reminded him of an unoccupied dorm room, only not as well furnished. There was a bed; that was about it. There were attached facilities, but they would have made an airplane lavatory look fancy. There were no windows, and he was not surprised to find the door locked from the outside. He barely remembered being taken from his house. He vaguely recalled someone leaning over him as he woke up. There was a prick on his neck and then nothing. He would be missed, he knew that. His absence would be obvious at his lab. He'd never missed a day, except when he'd contracted the super-flu, and then the cause was obvious. And there was Scootchie. Scootchie would notice Paul's absence online. He would be worried. One way or another, the authorities would be notified. If the people that took him, had wanted to kill him, they would have already. He would just have to stay calm and wait. Easier said than done.

Paul didn't have long to wait for something to happen. A small man who reminded him of a Keebler elf, strode into the room with larger more muscular men on either side. There was something about the elfin man that was more frightening that either of his more massive companions. When he smiled beneath the glasses on the tip of his nose, it reminded Paul of a snake about to strike."Mr. Deschile," he began in a southern drawl, "or should I say Dr. Deschile, we hear you are doin' some very interestin' research."

"You could have asked me about that by calling my office," Paul pointed out. "What do you want?"

"What we want, is for you to work for us," Kirby Sessile explained, looking even more like the denizen of a tree, as his cheeks puffed out and reddened.

"Why?" Paul asked.

Kirby grinned. "There are a few things that require some fixin', and we believe you're uniquely qualified to do it."

"What kind of things?" Paul queried.

"For some time, almost 200 hundred years in fact, events in this country have not unfolded the way they should have," Sessile asserted. "We need a do-over."

"I can't do that!" Paul exclaimed, "And even if I could, all of time could be fractured forever."

Sessile never lost his grin. "Well then. You're just going to have to figure out a way."


	248. Chapter 248

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 248

Kate and Rick snuggled on the couch, waiting for the stream from The High School of the Performing Arts to begin. Honoring the accomplishments of an alumna, Lagi had decided to have viewing party at Latu's Trails, so Reese and Jake were watching from school. Rick and Kate both eagerly dug into a huge bowl of popcorn Castle had popped. Like many recitals, the performers would be presented in order of increasing proficiency, rather than age or grade level. Both Kate and Rick were proud that they would have to wait through to the end to hear Lily and Akamai, even though they were the youngest students in the group.

Castle tried to concentrate on the musical efforts of Lily's classmates, but found his mind, and other parts of his body, distracted. Having Kate next to him in the middle of the week was still a treat, and her warmth and softness against him, aroused a response that had nothing to do with the emotional charge of the music. That Kate was considering leaving the Senate sooner rather than later, just added to the pull between them.

He was almost startled when the special partnership he'd been awaiting was announced. Lily was wearing an outfit she and Kate had shopped for specifically for the occasion. It had an air of soft formality to it, featuring palazzo pants, rather than a skirt. It reminded Castle a little of the last minute, but perfect, outfit Kate had worn when they'd been married, except that it was deep blue instead of white. Akamai wore a matching blue sports coat, but Castle knew there was a Hawaiian shirt underneath it, a bow to his family. The pair looked as comfortable playing side by side, as a senior couple with a sixty year marriage. They moved in perfect harmony to produce music that even taking Castle's pride into account, was far above the level of that at which the other students played. When the teens took their bows, Rick leaped up in front of the screen and clapped loudly, as did Kate, adding a whistle into the mix.

"They really are incredible, aren't they?' Kate marveled, when the broadcast ended. "I mean, those other kids weren't even close."

"I know," Castle agreed. "So do the Kahales. That's why Akamai is still here with us. We're all committed to supporting them any way we can, while they reveal their potential for true greatness."

* * *

Scootchie was angry and frustrated. Castle had communicated that the FBI was searching for Paul, but that was all he knew. A search by the FBI could take forever, and not even succeed. He'd read up on FBI history. Hell, those goombahs wouldn't have even have caught the Unibomber if his own brother hadn't turned him in. They'd had a hundred agents all looking in the wrong state. Scootchie had to do something on his own. He tried to remember every detail Paul had told him about his work. He had some idea of what sort of equipment would be required, even if Paul had carefully kept the details to himself. At the very least, extremely strong electrical and magnetic fields would be needed, that meant tapping into a large source of power. Traditionally, tachyon research had been pursued at atomic particle colliders, but Scootchie knew Paul hadn't made his breakthrough that way. His lab wasn't anywhere near one. If Paul had been taken for his work, and Scootchie couldn't think of another reason, he would need a uniquely equipped lab to pursue it. Setting one up would have to leave some kind of a trail. Scootchie would just have to find it. He'd also have to be careful. If the FBI stumbled across his own tracks, they could easily come after him. He started began looking for places with access to high enough levels of power to run Paul's experiments. He guessed that whoever had Paul, was tapping into power illegally. With appropriate search parameters, the aberrant exit of that much energy from the grid could act as a beacon to Paul's whereabouts.

* * *

Kirby Sessile needed money. Putting together the kind of equipment Deschile needed was damned expensive, and without the support from the Templeton organization, he was on his own to pay for it. At least his operation was situated in the right place to divert enough power. Their base, in a godforsaken spot with nothing but high voltage power lines, was perfect. Even more perfect, was that with the winding down of some of the old mining operations the lines were supposed to feed, the loss was much less likely to be noticed. If someone came out to investigate, that would just be too bad - for them. That would be the easiest problem to solve.

The financing problem was much harder. He'd considered a classic robbery, but no one used or moved that kind of cash anymore. Kirby didn't even know if it still existed. Everything was electronic. If he was going to divert those kinds of funds, he'd need one hell of a nerd, one almost as smart as Paul Deschile, and he didn't have anyone like that within his own outfit. Templeton had kept a squad of them, but they were all taken in the FBI sweep. Kirby had no choice but to put out the word that help was needed. It would be creating a security hole in his organization, but if the wrong person managed to squeeze through, it would be their last act.

Scootchie regarded the posting that appeared on a hacker discussion board. It wasn't a very advanced board. The problems they discussed were glitches he had solved years before. Even so, the person who posted the message, was clearly even less accomplished than the regular users. The language of the post was all wrong. Scootchie wondered if the poster might be a troll, but the message seemed sincere, merely ignorant. It was the longest of long shots, but he wondered if it could have come from whomever had taken Paul. If he took the right precautions, he could respond without revealing himself. There was no harm in trying. He hadn't found a solid clue to Paul's whereabouts yet, and obviously the FBI continued to be clueless. He carefully crafted an answering post of his own. He'd just have to see what, if anything, happened.

* * *

Lily and Akamai arrived home to enthusiastic cheers. With Kate, Castle had hastily put together a celebration. Crepe paper streamers with musical notes on them, decorated the walls. A fragrant pork roast was in the oven, to be accompanied by sweet potatoes and spiced apples. There would, of course, also be a massive cake for dessert. Lily was embarrassed. Just about everything had begun to embarrass her, but Akamai was grateful for the festive encouragement, eagerly stripping off his jacket to reveal his colorful shirt. "So what's the next step in your rise to fame?" Castle asked the pair, after the cake had been cut and ice cream dished out.

Lily poked at her cake with her fork. "Lily and I are going to be writing the score for a musical the school is putting on to fund stipends for young musicians," Akamai explained.

Lily's fork clattered against her plate. "The best actors, singers, and dancers from the school are going to be in it and the best musicians are going to play. We're going to have to make it really good, maybe better than what we played today."

"And that makes you nervous?" Kate asked.

Lily just nodded.

"Well of course it does," Castle declared. "Once you've put out something people celebrate, you always wonder if you can equal it it, let alone surpass it. It happens to authors with every book. It's just one of those things you learn to cope with along the way. But you two clearly have the stuff. The school obviously believes in you and so do we. So just give it your best shot. That is all any of us can do."


	249. Chapter 249

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 249

Through the front window, Scootchie observed the little man waiting for him at a table in an out of the way diner, on a little traveled desert road. He would have much preferred keeping his interactions online, but the man had insisted on a face to face meeting. Drawing from his experience in non-Grid Goblin cosplay, he'd pulled together a disguise he hoped wouldn't be too obvious. Contact lenses changed the color of his eyes. He'd lightened his hair and sported a beard and mustache. He wore a floppy hat pulled down over his forehead. The man waiting for him looked like one of Santa's elves, but one of the mean ones who make sure you stand in line while you're waiting for your turn on the red velvet lap. The door of the diner creaked as Scootchie entered and made his way to where the diminutive man waited. A chair scratched against the scarred floor as Scootchie pulled it back and slipped into it. "KS2030?" he asked.

Kirby Sessile nodded. "Gummybear180?"

Scootchie nodded in response. "So there is a bank account unjustly frozen by this repressive administration and you need to get into it?" Scootchie inquired.

"Damn straight!" Kirby responded. "A man and his compatriots work hard to protect this country from the ravages of liberal elitism and what to we get? Our lifeblood cut off, that's what."

"So what do I get out of it?" Scootchie queried.

"You get to know that you're helping put this country back on the right track." Kirby responded.

Scootchie began to rise from his seat. "Well I certainly respect your mission, but if I get caught, I'll be risking a stretch in Federal prison. I'll need more than good feelings."

"Sit on down," Kirby urged. "You'll get your cut. How does five hundred grand sound?"

"Like we might be able to do business," Scootchie answered, sliding back into his chair. "So tell me more about this account and I'll go see what I can do."

"No. I can't have you running off with the whole prize," Kirby insisted. "You'll work from a computer in my compound, and when I get access to my funds, then you'll get access to yours."

Scootchie felt his insides twist. If this guy really really did have Paul, his compound could be one giant Roach Motel, from which neither he nor Paul would check out. He would have to find another way. He pushed out of his chair again. "I can't do that. I don't know you. For all I know, this might be entrapment. You could be working for the Feds. Get yourself another guy."

Kirby gestured with a gun he had been hiding under the table. "No, I think I have just the one I want."

* * *

Scootchie and Paul sat in Paul's spartan quarters, where an extra bed had been jammed into the small space. The guard who had locked them in, smirked as he referred to it as "Nerdland."

"So did you get the message out?" Paul asked.

"I think so," Scootchie said. "I couldn't allow for any kind of an ack these assholes might see. But Castle and Senator Beckett have been on top of this the whole time. If it did get through, they'll get help to us somehow."

"Yeah, I remember them from when she was a cop and someone tried to kill me. They stopped it. From what they said, some guy who thought he was a time traveler tipped them off. That's was one of the things that started me thinking about tachyons, especially since they tied into my energy research. Detective Beckett thought the guy was a nutcase. But now I'm not so sure. If I had been killed back then, there wouldn't have been any time travel. Maybe that's why he was sent. Or she might have been right. Even if these guys do manage to set up a lab for me somehow, I'm not sure I could make a time jump happen for anything other than a toad. I don't even have real confirmation on the toad.

"Yes you do," Scootchie told him. "I sent it to you. They must have grabbed it before you saw it. You'll see my message when we get out of here."

"If we get out of here," Paul replied grimly.

"We have to," Scootchie returned. "Otherwise you'll never develop human time travel, because you would have been dead a long time ago." Scootchie ground his teeth. "God, I hate paradoxes. That's why I like to stay strictly with computers."

"Yeah, if we do get out of this, remind me to tell you about parallel universes," Paul retorted. "No paradoxes, but no guarantee I don't die, either.

* * *

Kate was making a fresh pot of coffee in the kitchen when Castle came in with an expression that immediately snatched her attention away from the fresh brew. "What happened?"

"I received an emergency message from Grid Goblin. It was very short. He must have been afraid of being caught sending it. He's being held where Paul Deschile is. He doesn't know where. He's just sure it's isolated and near power lines."

"That covers a hell of a lot of ground in this country, Castle."

"I know. Kate we need to call Jordan, get the FBI in on this. We've both been protecting the goblin, but we can't do it anymore, now that his life is at stake. If the FBI finds him, there's at least some chance he'll come out of this alive. And we need to make sure Deschile is safe."

Kate closed her eyes and sighed. "You're right Castle. I'll make the call."

* * *

Using Scootchie's message to Castle as a starting point, The cyber unit traced it back to its source. It didn't take them long. Scootchie had deliberately left its origin undisguised. The location was passed on to the closest field unit, which was still over four hours away from the dessert stronghold. On the flat terrain, there was no way the FBI could approach by ground vehicle in the daylight, without being seen. Navigating at night, even by infra-red, they would still be heard. Supervising Agent Henry Cole ordered nearly silent micro-drones sent in under cover of darkness, to take out the guards. Larger gas drones flew ahead of the tactical squad, as they moved in to attack.

Sessile's followers did not go down easily. Even as sleep gas was overcoming them, they shot back, bullets embedding themselves in the armor worn by several agents. But in the end, the would-be soldiers were taken down, with the strike force suffering nothing more than hellish bruising and a few broken ribs. After bashing through the locked door, agents found Paul Deschile and his as yet, still unidentified companion, asleep but unharmed in the cramped quarters. The captives were revived with shots of sleep gas neutralizer, and led to vehicles for the trip out of the desert.

* * *

"They found them!" Kate announced, reading the terse text from Jordan Shaw. "They're all right."

"What's going to happen to Grid Goblin?" Castle asked.

Kate shrugged. "She didn't say, but he's responsible saving another life and uncovering another nest of domestic hostiles. I'm sure something can be worked out."

Castle scrubbed a hand over his face. "I hope you're right. After all our efforts to shield his identity, I'd hate to think I'd be the one responsible for the goblin's incarceration."


	250. Chapter 250

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 250

Jordan Shaw stared across the table at Scootchie. "Mr. Molson, what am I going to do about you? We both know that you are guilty of enough hacking to send you away for quite a while. If it weren't for the faithful silence of Richard Castle and Senator Beckett, I imagine that we would have enough to send you away for life, but they are not about to roll on you and I have no intention of forcing the issue. You have done this country a great service, so the question remains, where do we go from here?"

"You could give me immunity in exchange for testifying against the elf king." Scootchie suggested.

Jordan sighed. "I truly wish that were possible, but we already have enough evidence against him without your testimony. The AG would never go for it. There is another option that our agency and several others have used in the past. Decades ago, we offered people service in the military as an alternative to incarceration. Things have been updated somewhat since then. We would like to avail ourselves of your services in another way."

Scootchie's eyes narrowed. "What way?"

"Pretty much what you've already done, track down clues to crimes, trace questionable transfers of funds, and help us locate bad actors."

"What's the catch?" Scootchie asked.

"The catch is that you'll be doing it under the watchful eyes of the FBI Cyber Crimes Unit. You would be hacking whom and what you are assigned to hack. No more, uh, independent projects."

"For how long?" Scootchie asked.

"If you behave yourself, for the minimum amount of time you would serve if the AG were to bring charges."

Scootchie slumped in his chair. "I suppose I have no choice, do I?"

Jordan nodded sympathetically. "I'm sorry, you don't. But you will be making a decent salary and you should see their break room; all the junk food a hard working hacker could ever want."

"Super Lightnin' Cola?" Scootchie asked hopefully.

"I'm sure that can be arranged," Jordan assured him.

* * *

"So Grid Goblin is working for the FBI now," Castle recapped.

Kate's image on his screen nodded. "The FBI still doesn't know he's Grid Goblin. His name is Jefferson Scott Molson, but when he isn't Grid Goblin, he goes by Scootchie."

"Wow! I hope he didn't have that moniker on the school yard," Castle commented. "That could have cost him a few years of lunch money."

"You're probably right," Kate agreed, "although I imagine he would have had his methods of striking back. He's been a talented hacker almost since birth. Talent hangs together. Apparently, he and Paul Deschile have been friends since kindergarten. They ended up in different states, but never lost their connection."

"Lucky for Paul Deschile," Castle noted. "Any news about his research? Has he mastered time machines and/or energy shields?"

"Castle, even if I knew, if I told you, I have to kill you, and I'd like to keep you around for a while yet."

"Nice to know. So when are you coming home?"

A self-satisfied smile lit the screen. "Actually, I was thinking of heading to the airfield as soon as we get off the phone."

"Can't be too soon for me."

* * *

The Hualalai Volcano in Kona was waking up. It had never really been asleep, just drowsing. It had provided the rich volcanic soil that made Kona coffee such a delight to the senses of caffeine addicts everywhere. But now lava was again over topping the rim and flowing slowly, but straight toward the Kahale Plantation.

The eruption had not come without warning. Ahe had been monitoring the reports from the U.S. Geological Survey's Volcano Hazards Program for months. Every bean that could be shipped out, had been, as had everything thing the Kahale family treasured. A safe haven was waiting on another Island. He had just prayed that the reports were were wrong, and they wouldn't need to use it. That was a prayer that no god, old or new, had seen fit to answer. There was insurance that would cover his home and what belongings still remained, but the same fire that had gifted the land with it's richness, would now be taking it away, until the long cycle of soil building could once more run its course. There would be no more Kahale Coffee Plantation. They would have to plant again somewhere else, or begin again, in some different endeavor.

* * *

"So the Kahales are going to lose their plantation?" Kate asked.

Castle nodded grimly. "I was on the phone with Ahe and Akela. They and the rest of the family are already safe on another island, but they have no idea what they're going to do now. Unless the lava stops in mid flow, the coffee trees will be completely wiped out. I was thinking of inviting them to stay with us, here. Akamai's been with us all this time and the Kahales had originally intended living in New York anyway. Ahe has a great head for business. He rescued that plantation after his cousin drove it into the ground and his brother took ill. There must be some kind of venture for him here, maybe coffee importation or something. God knows New Yorkers drink enough of the stuff. And yes, I resemble that remark."

"Castle, are you sure? We'll have a pretty full house until they find another place to get settled again."

"We can handle it," Castle declared. "They took us into their home in Hawaii, Kate, I think it was the best thing, other than meeting each other, that ever happened to us."

"I agree with you there, Babe. If they want to come, I'm on board with it. I believe there may even be some kind of federal natural disaster resettlement fund they may be able to tap into. I'll have my staff check it out. They have a lot more experience with that sort of thing than I do."

"Great! I have a video conference scheduled with Ahe and Akela late tonight, which will be early morning for them. Care to join me?"

"I wouldn't miss it," Kate assured her husband.

* * *

Lily hesitantly reached for Akamai's hand, as they sat side by side on the bench in front of her precious grand piano. "I am so sorry about your family's plantation, Aki. It was so beautiful. And from what Daddy says, the coffee was the best too."

Akamai stared down at the keys. "I'm going to miss it. You know what it was like there. There was so much life in the air. I could almost breathe it in and let it flow out through my fingers. But there is energy in New York, too. And there's you. Sooner or later I would have had to go back, probably when we graduated from high school, but now it doesn't look like I'm going to have to. I can stay here and we can keep creating together, always."

"I've been afraid that you would have to leave too," Lily confessed, "especially after the first time when your family was going to make you come home. I just didn't want to think about it. I am really sorry about what your family has lost, but I'm also really glad that you can stay."

The two young teens turned slowly toward each other, their lips meeting in their first sweetly tentative kiss."


	251. Chapter 251

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 251

"The Kahale's coffee distribution business is really going well now, isn't it?" Kate remarked.

"It is," Castle confirmed. "When Maddie Queller started using their wares for her restaurants, it really took off. Now Kahale Coffee supplies most of the fine dining establishments in the New York Area, the Eastern Seaboard really."

"It wouldn't have happened without your investment, when the family first came to stay with us." Kate pointed out.

"It was a very good investment, in many ways besides monetarily. It helped them get a place big enough for the whole family - including Akamai. He and Lily still have plenty of chances to compose together, but the air was getting way too heavy with teenage hormones around here. I think it's a lot safer if the two of them sleep under two different roofs."

Kate's face lit as a scene played on the back of her closed eyelids. "Yes, Lily told me about their first kiss at the piano. I wish I could have seen it. It must have been lovely."

"Think Heisenberg," Castle offered, "if you had been there to see it, it would have altered the outcome. Right now I'm just thinking about altering any outcomes that might come too soon. We want to keep those fingers busy on the keyboard for as long as possible."

"They are, Castle. You know they're writing a musical based on super-hero fandom. They're drawing a lot from Reese and Jake. They're even incorporating some of Jake's drum riffs."

Castle grinned. "Yeah, it's going to be put on at school, but they're also planning a special presentation at next year's Mega-Con. I think there might be a performance at Mother's school as well. She's only teaching one masterclass now, but what the diva wants, the diva still gets. I suppose that qualifies as off-Broadway."

"More like off-off-Broadway, Castle, but it's still going to be quite an event in their lives. And with the students from Performing Arts playing the roles, the level of performance will be as high as a lot of professional productions - maybe higher."

I have no doubt," Castle agreed. "I can't wait. But speaking of waiting, any news on how the targeting of the remaining evil satellites of World Triumph is going?"

"Castle, you know I couldn't give you details if I had them - which I don't - but from what I've heard from the intelligence committee, most of the loose ends are being tied up. The CNI has had to coordinate the domestic operations, the ones Jordan is running, with operations overseas from the CIA and all the other alphabet soup, but most of the Europeans have been cooperating. The resources have been locked down tight, which is making it easier to round up the operatives. Right now they have very few places to hide."

"That's encouraging. How long before you feel things are wound up enough for you to leave the Senate for good?"

Kate stroked her fingers down his still firm bicep. "I'm not sure, Babe, but soon - soon as I can."

* * *

Burgess Stevenson was running out of time and money, and his followers, the few he had left, were running out of patience. Since Kirk Templeton had been arrested, nothing had been going their way. As far as he knew, his operation was the only remnant of World Triumph still functioning, and barely, at that. He needed to do something big, something that would grab the attention of the country and maybe the world, but he'd have to be able to manage it with the few loyalists he still had his disposal. He'd picked his target carefully. She was at the root of the disaster, from her insane tree-hugging to the devastating legislation she'd helped get through the pansies in Congress. She was also famous enough to be noticed. She was well known to be the inspiration of a sexy heroine in her husband's books, and still showed up on his arm at celebrity-filled events. Burgess would take out Kate Beckett in a way that would let the world know that her kind had not won, and spark a revitalization of the movement towards a world the way it should have been.

* * *

The gray at his temples had liberally sprinkled the rest of his hair, and the lines in his face were deep, but the fire that flashed from his gray-blue eyes could not be quenched. "You have to send me back! I didn't just lose her that day, the whole world did, and it set us back on the road to hell. There is no visual record, but I know every detail of what happened. I could change it all in a moment! Think of the lives that could be saved, and the darkness that could be turned back. She's the linchpin. Thirty seconds, thirty seconds there is all that I need, and all of our lives will be better forever."

The members of the missions panel looked at each other. What he was asking was personal, as personal as a mission could be, and they never granted travel for personal missions. But he was right. The day of her death had been a turning point. The danger that had been thought to be largely eliminated, had re-surged, to spread it's ugly mantle over the world. If his mission succeeded, the tsunami of destruction could be reversed, and if it didn't, the world couldn't be much worse off for his failed efforts. Every day, the exposure and shutdown of their project drew closer. Soon, very soon, all chance at correction could end. Silently, green icons were swiped.

* * *

Rallies were far from Kate's favorite thing. She wasn't comfortable with crowds, although she'd become an expert at not showing it. Her fireflies were out in full force, supporting the grand unveiling of the new quantum entanglement center, established to explore new avenues of communication and transportation. Kate had little understanding of the physics involved, but the excitement in the scientific community was palpable, as was that of the mass of humanity in front of the proscenium. As Kate was reaching the high point of her speech, a man in a security officer vest rushed the stage, holding a gun to Kate's head with one bearlike arm, and grasping the detonator for explosives hidden beneath his vest, with the other. "What do you want?" Kate demanded.

"To put the world back in its natural order. That can't happen with you in it. As he raised the detonator, a man appeared in front of him, holding a small device. Every electronic signal died. Kate's captor pushed the button on his detonator, but there was no explosion. While he stood, stunned with shock, Kate jammed an elbow into his midsection and wrenched the gun away, as genuine security officers secured her attacker and the detonator. The man with the strange device disappeared.

* * *

After she returned home from the new research facility in Virginia, Castle listened wide-eyed as Kate recounted the events of the day. "The guy who showed up must have been holding an EMP generator," he asserted. "That's what would have made everything die. So there won't be any video. Incredible, if lucky, that man just showing up and then disappearing like that. I would have liked to thank him - and get some licks of my own in on that asshole who grabbed you. I wish I'd been there."

"Castle, if you ever repeat what I'm about about to tell you, I will deny it, but somehow, I think you were there. My mysterious savior, he looked older, but Babe, I could swear it was you."


	252. Chapter 252

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 252

Cameras clicked, and a band borrowed from the Old Haunt played, as Kate cut the ribbon draped across the office door of the Civil Rights Law Practice of Katherine Beckett, Esquire. She covered her face as her cheeks reddened. "Castle, you didn't have to do all this. It's only an office."

"An office Kate? It's a symbol of hope to the downtrodden masses of New York City." Castle bent down, lightly touching his lips to her hair. "More than that, it's a symbol that you're back in New York with me, Lily, and the boys, to stay. This is truly a day of celebration."

"Castle, the rest of the celebration is going to have to wait. I already have clients lined up for most of the day. See you for dinner?"

"That you most certainly will," Castle agreed.

* * *

Kate had been expecting a family dinner, with the possible addition of a cake and ice cream. She had not expected an intimate ride in an old fashioned white Rolls Royce, and seats at a table in a secluded corner of Q3. "Castle, we haven't done this in..."

"Never," Castle finished, "at least not in quite this way. This day is important, Kate, to justice, to our family, and to you and me. I know you're still going to be busy fighting your battles, you wouldn't be you if you weren't. But to know that you'll always be the last thing I see before I fall asleep at night and the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning, again, is more than worth festing. I've been waiting a long time for it. I can't imagine wanting anything more."

Kate reached across the table, to take his hand. "I can't either, Rick."

Their server coughed softly to get their attention. "There are several specials tonight, but Ms. Queller has instructed the chef to prepare a special meal for you, if that's your pleasure. She's also selected wine pairings to complement the chef's creations."

Rick and Kate nodded at each other in silent agreement. "We'll go with whatever the proprietor and the chef have cooked up for us," Rick informed the young man, "with as little interruption as possible."

"Yes sir," their server agreed, smartly leaving the table.

The corners of Rick's eyes crinkled. "How old do you suppose he is, thirteen? You think he's grossed out by the idea of the old folks having a romantic dinner?"

"Castle, he has to be at least of drinking age to work here, and my guess is the only thing that would gross him out is if we forgot to tip him. I think you made it clear that the way to earn one is to make himself as scarce as possible. If anything, that will make his life easier."

"So tell me," Castle asked, "whom else's life are you going to make easier? What kinds of cases do you have coming in the door of your new office?"

Kate pushed her hair behind her ear. "Some of them are like the ones I always handled from FTC, housing problems, unjust terminations, and kids being excluded from educational services. I did pick up something new. There's a woman on death row who claims she was unjustly convicted. She admits to killing her husband, but she claims that it was in defense of herself and her children, whom he'd been abusing. She had an overworked, fresh-out, public defender who just didn't have the time or resources to convince a jury. I need to convince a judge that she had insufficient defense, and get the case reopened."

"Sounds like the kind of case your mother would have taken." Castle observed.

"It does," Kate agreed. "I'm not sure I'd ever go as far as trying to defend a Pulgatti."

Castle drew a shaky breath. "Glad to hear it, considering what happened to your mother when she did."

"But this country has been incarceration crazy for too long. I've been part of that. Hell Castle, on our first case you kept me from trying to put away an innocent man, and that wasn't the only time. The statistics still indicate that maybe eight percent of the people on death row were unjustly convicted. There are a whole lot more people in prison who could be leading useful lives but were put away under the old mandatory sentencing laws. These days, they would get community service or a drug diversion program. I could probably work the next twenty years and only make a small dent."

"Whatever dent you make, I'm sure it will be a significant one," Castle assured her.

"And where are you on your detective dynasty books?" Kate inquired.

"I'm about halfway through the fourth one, but I slowed down to help Lily and Akamai with the book for their next musical. You know, it will be produced in a legitimate venue. It's not much, just one of those tiny experimental theaters in the village, but many Tony Award winning careers have started with less."

"And how much did that cost you and Ahe?" Kate inquired.

"Not a cent," Castle declared triumphantly. "A couple of angels came in, based on the reviews from the first one they did at school and at Mother's place. I don't know how she did it, but Mother twisted an arm or two and had the critic from the Times in the first row. Having her write that it was both delightful and professional, was enough to open the spigot. All the Castle and Kahale families have to do is buy tickets."

"Castle, I knew they were working on it, but I had no idea they actually had real financing."

"Well it's new," Castle admitted. "Ahe and I were ready to pick up the tab. The financing just came through while you were finishing setting up your office. You probably would have heard about it at breakfast tomorrow."

Maybe I'll let Lily tell me, and act surprised," Kate mused.

"Not a bad idea. Mm. And from what I see and smell coming this way, neither was this dinner."

The _sommelier_ poured a small amount of wine for Rick to sample, which he did, before offering it to Kate for her approval as well. The meal started with specially crafted _amuse bouches_ , which had Castle closing his eyes to savor the play of flavors in the perfect bite. It was followed by shared prime rib, with the chef's signature sauce, fingerling potatoes, and micro-greens. A raspberry and chocolate truffle pavlova provided a sweet finish, accompanied by rich cups of Kahale blended espresso. To Castle's delighted eyes, Kate stretched like a cat. "Ready to go home?" he inquired.

"Can we walk first?" Kate asked. "I feel like it's a long time since I really just enjoyed the city."

Castle offered his arm. Kate held it as they left the restaurant and strolled along the sidewalk, still filled with New Yorkers striding purposefully to some destination. Kate looked up. The city lights made it difficult to see stars, but the almost full moon was clear enough. She snuggled against Castle's shoulder. "I'd almost forgotten how nice it can be, just walking like this. I've been so busy trying to save the roses, I forgot to stop and smell a few."

Castle nodded to a vendor on the corner and exchanged bills for a bouquet of the fragrant flowers. He handed them to Kate with a little bow. "You can smell these."

They continued down the sidewalk arm in arm, lost in each other, as the city progressed through its evening around them.

A/N Yes, there have been a couple of time jumps. We are now somewhere in 2032. Lily is about 16 and her brothers about 13. The Castles have three teenagers, but at least they no longer require babysitters. I will be jumping a lot from here on. There is a lot of future to cover. Whether we are in a parallel universe or not, I leave for you to ponder. The characters wouldn't know the difference.


	253. Chapter 253

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 253

"This case is very personal to you, isn't it?" Eva asked, as she cleaned up from her daughter's well enjoyed breakfast.

"Of course it is," Reese replied. "Kate's client was a lot like you in some ways. She defended herself against a monster. If things had gone differently, if the truth about your father's death had been uncovered by someone else, that might be you rotting away in a jail cell."

"I haven't seen your reports yet. Have you got anything to help her?" Eva asked.

"I have a start. I have Yolanda's medical records and those of her children. The abuse would be obvious even to some newly minted intern. I don't know how her lawyer could have failed to introduce those records as evidence. Probably no money to pay for an expert witness to explain their implications. Jake and I have been hunting down her old neighbors to find someone who can testify to what was going on. We're talking to the kids' former teachers and their old school nurse. When Kate takes the case to court, it will be solid."

"Who's paying for all of this?" Eva asked.

"There's some FTC money. Kate is working pro bono and RCI is cutting costs to the bone. Jake and I are just asking to have our expenses covered."

"Can we afford to do that?" Eva questioned.

Reese gathered her in his arms.

"We can't afford not to."

* * *

Kate wished she could have convinced the guards to remove Yolanda's shackles. Clearly her client posed no danger, but a prisoner convicted of murder was considered to be a risk, regardless of what her counsel might say. Kate passed pictures across the table. "These are the newest ones our people took of Jeff Jr. and Kayla."

Yolanda ran her fingertips over the surface of the photos, as if she could somehow touch her son and daughter. "How are they?"

Kate wasn't sure how much she should say. Both children had gone into foster care after their mother had been arrested. Reports that Reese had gathered did not portray their lives as easy. They were barely getting by in school, and as far as Reese could determine, had few, if any friends. They were, at least, physically healthy, and well treated. Kate could assure Yolanda of that. "Their foster parents are taking good care of them. The investigation is going quickly now. There is a lot of evidence on your side. I'm pulling every string I know, to get a court date as soon as possible. You try to hang in there. Is there anything you need?"

"Just my kids," Yolanda replied.

Kate shook her head. "I'm sorry. The court won't allow them to visit. You know that. I'll try to get you as many pictures as I can."

Yolanda nodded helplessly. "Thanks, I appreciate everything you're doing, Ms. Beckett, I really do."

Kate squeezed her client's hand, then rose and signaled to the guard. "I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

* * *

Castle gazed down the line of costumed fans waiting for his autograph. Star Train had gone from television to a movie, and had been a surprising hit on screens around the world. The theme of members of such wildly varying species and cultures traveling together and learning to cooperate, had struck a chord, much as the diversity of the original _Star Trek_ crew, so groundbreaking for its time, had. The merchandising had mushroomed with everything from action figures to collapsible crawl-thru folds in space. Richard Castle, though well into his new series of more mainline books, had become a sci-fi celebrity again. The twins rejoiced in the VIP entree it gave them to the con world, and Castle was trying to enjoy it. He'd be enjoying it a lot more if his shoulder wasn't about to give out. He and Kate had exchanged massages the night before. She was stiff from hunching over legal documents and he, from trying his best to serve his fans. Fortunately, he had a panel in less than an hour, and all he'd have to do was talk. As Kate often pointed out, he had no trouble doing that. Then afterward, he would be at a press conference with the cast, at which he would be a minor attraction. The actor playing Pirri, had become a superstar. His younger shoulders could nicely handle the adoration heaped upon them.

* * *

Kate and Rick arrived home at almost the same time. The aroma of Kate's weekend assembled lasagna, which Lily had dutifully put in the oven for a late dinner, drifted in from the kitchen. "Dibs on the Jacuzzi," Rick claimed, as Kate slipped out of the heels she'd grown to love a lot less. "Unless you want to share."

"Oh Babe, believe me I'm tempted, but I have a couple of calls to return. I'm going to try to grab a hot shower after I finish."

"Well, maybe we can dry off together. I'll make sure the towel warmer is on."

Kate pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. "Great, thanks."

* * *

Lily had heard her parents come in, but she was hard at work, alone, on the revision of her score. Aki had a paper due. It was a makeup. There was an assignment he'd only received a "C" on, while the two of them were working on the show. If they were going to make it into Tisch together, even with their backgrounds, he couldn't afford the low grade. Carnegie Mellon would be a good back up and the university had already put out feelers letting them know they'd be welcome, but they wanted to stay in the city. Not only were both their families here, but if they were ever going to make it to Broadway, there was no substitute for proximity to its magic. Reese and Jake already felt that way about the comic book industry. While it was true that the major imprints had studios on the West Coast, the independents, where all the energy was, were still largely headquartered in New York. It was the place to be. Her brothers were already part of a junior apprentice program and had been promised a lot more as soon as they were of age. Once they had the credibility with the fan base, they dreamed of a press of their own. Even when they were at their most annoying, she wished them luck. Jake had never abandoned his drums and his eccentric rhythms still occasionally made their way into the music she and Aki wrote.

If her nose was any judge, it wouldn't be long before the timer went off for her Mom's lasagna. To be cut without falling apart, it would have to sit for a while. She hoped she and Mom could use the time while throwing a salad together, to talk. There was a conversation they really needed to have.

* * *

"Lily asked you what?" Castle exclaimed.

"Calm down Babe. She asked me about getting birth control. She swore she and Akamai aren't doing anything yet, but she doesn't know how much longer they can wait and she wants to be prepared. At least she talked to me about it. She could have tried to get something on her own - or worse - not gotten anything at all."

"I know, but she's still so young! So's Akamai."

"Rick, were you a virgin at his age?"

"No," Castle admitted. "But I had a misspent youth. You know that."

"Castle, at their age, I was working my butt off to earn a motorcycle, and it wasn't because I was planning on riding alone. I think the two of them are more responsible than we ever were. I will take Lily to the doctor myself and sign anything that needs to be signed. At least we'll know she'll stay healthy and won't have to sneak around."

"I suppose you're right," Castle conceded. "I just..."

"Yeah I know. You want to keep her safe forever. But Babe, this will be the best way to do that."


	254. Chapter 254

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 254

Grace Consuelos checked the position of the cameras in the Castle living room and assured herself that she had her stand-up down pat. Her producer counted down on his fingers and pointed. "Today on _People_ _of the Big Apple_ , we are here with one of the most interesting and creative families in New York." The camera panned the people seated in the room. "We have author Richard Castle, crusader Kate Beckett, and Lily, Reese, and Jake Castle. Rick, let's start with you. You have been a best selling author for decades, but the television show, and now the movie, based on your Star Train books have carved out a place for you with Gene Roddenberry, George Lucas, and Joss Whedon, as the creator of a franchise with an indefatigable cult following. Pirri Arngrin costumes were the top sellers in Halloween shops all around the globe this year, and sales of Star Train Merchandise are in the billions. How do you account for the popularity of your space faring characters?"

"First of all, Grace," Castle replied, "it is very kind of you to put me in such exalted company. I believe Star Train's appeal has to do with the universality of themes, no pun intended. On Star Train, we have the panoply of human experience: love, hate, fear of the unknown, and the lust for exploration, all played out out through characters who are different from the inhabitants of earth, yet with a commonality we can all relate to. I believe that science fiction provides the backdrop to explore the types of relationships we would all like to invest in. And it doesn't hurt to have a hot actor or two, either."

Grace laughed. "No it certainly doesn't. I know my daughter has a Pirri poster up on her wall. Now Kate, you have been living a life that would seem extraordinary even in one of your husband's books. You've been a cop, a public advocate, both a New York and U.S. Senator, and now you're doing battle in the courtroom. Your struggle for justice for a mother defending herself and her children, has touched hearts and minds across the nation. Is their no end to your fighting spirit?"

Kate briefly covered her mouth as color rose in her still prominent cheekbones. "Grace, I have been incredibly lucky to have a great family and dear friends that have have stood behind me every step of the way. But I look around this city, this country, and this world, and there is so much that needs to be done. The wrongs that still need to be righted come to me every day. I can't turn my back on them. Fortunately, with all the support I continue to receive, I don't have to."

"And we are all better for it," Grace declared. "Now Lily, you have been a musical prodigy from a very early age. I looked back at some video of you when you could barely reach a piano, and I was blown away, but to be writing produced musicals at your age, that is amazing!"

"I don't do it alone," Lily immediately responded. "I couldn't do it without my writing partner, Akamai Kahale. And our teachers at Performing Arts have been incredible."

"For my viewers who don't know, Lily is talking about the Fiorello H. LaGuardia School of Music and Art and the Performing Arts, a merger of two of New York's special high schools. Performing Arts has been portrayed both in a classic movie and in television shows. Lily, before high school, didn't you you and Akamai meet at the pre-college program at Juilliard?"

"That's right," Lily confirmed, "We've been writing together for a long time."

"And a magical partnership it is. And we have another partnership in this room. "Reese and Jake, obviously you two are twins, but you are also collaborators. You create comics and graphic novels together. Let's show some of your work to our viewing audience." Images from Reese's and Jake's latest comic flashed on the monitor. "Now I understand that the two of you create all your own characters. How does that work? Who does what? Jake?"

Jake grinned at the camera. "I write the stories and Reese draws the characters."

"We have an advanced computer graphics system," Reese continued. "We can put our comics out on the web, or send them to be published on dead trees, or both."

"So the two of you are contributors to Castle Press?"

Jake shrugged. "Our books are printed there, but so far they are giveaways at cons and on Free Comics Day. Reese and I figure we'll be able to sell them soon."

"Given what we've seen of your work so far, I have no doubt that you will. The website where the work of Jake and Reese Castle can be viewed and downloaded, is on your screen now. And the next con where it will be available is...?"

"Xeno Con in Newark, New Jersey," Jake finished.

Grace turned back to Lily. "Where can our audience see the work that you and Akamai Kahale do together?"

"We'll have a new musical opening next year at the Hobby Horse in the village, but video of our last musical, and all of our music, is available for download from Musi-tunes."

Grace nodded. "Here's a little tease for our viewers." Video of Lily and Akamai's musical, played on the monitor. "And finally, Rick, tell us about your newest series of books. As I understand it, you draw inspiration not just from your experience with Kate, but from your older daughter, her husband, and your grandson."

"That is true," Rick confirmed. "I originally started Richard Castle investigations to be able to work with Kate in a capacity other than as a consultant to the N.Y.P.D.. My daughter, Alexis, became involved, pretty much by accident, but found her passion for unraveling mysteries there. Over the years, several of the detectives Kate and I worked with at the Twelfth Precinct have found a home there, as well. Alexis' husband is a forensic scientist and their son also appears to be headed down a Sherlockian path. The book series intertwines the interpersonal dynamics of a family running a detective agency, with the mysteries that they solve. The books appeal to readers from young adult upwards, on several levels. I'm very proud of the work."

"You should be. The books have been very well reviewed and all have made the Times best sellers list. Castle Press has become a highly successful imprint."

"I've been very fortunate," Castle replied with uncharacteristic modesty.

"Well that about wraps up our visit with the Castle family. My thanks to Rick, Kate, Lily, Jake, and Reese. You can find further information and links for video, music, and to purchase books, on the _People of the Big Apple_ website and on our app. This is Grace Consuelos, have a shiny day."

"And we're out," the producer announced.

"And you won't be using Alexis' married name," Castle queried. "She prefers to keep her family out of the spotlight."

"Absolutely," Grace confirmed. "A detective doesn't need that kind of information publicized. And of course we will be keeping all your personal contact information confidential as well."

"Okay then. So before you leave the Castle castle, how about the some of Kahale coffee's finest blend?"

The producer nodded enthusiastically. "Absolutely," Grace replied. "I've been trying for months to convince the management of our show to use Kahale to stock our break room."

"I can get you a connection straight to the source," Castle promised. "I know a guy."

Kate smiled and rolled her eyes.

A/N Yes Guest, there was another time jump. another two now, actually. And note, Lily and Aki were not having sex yet. She just didn't want to get in trouble if they did. This is not the end of the story, just a catch-up interlude.


	255. Chapter 255

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 255

"Almost didn't make it," Alexis puffed. "Ever since Grace Consuelos did her piece, we've been swamped. I just hired Grant Sullivan to pick up some of the extra work. He looks so harmless, I think he's going to be terrific. He said L.T. is being promoted to take his place."

"Good for L.T.. Make sure Sully cleans his desk now and then," Castle cautioned, "or you might have New York mice searching out bagel scraps and pizza shards. But your timing is fine. The show doesn't start for another five minutes. Reese and Jake are going over their offerings one last time. I think this is the first time I've ever seen Jake nervous about anything."

The doors opened to the display area of the High School of Art and Design. Principal Rivera held a microphone. "I want to welcome everyone to an extraordinary showing of the work of two talented young people. While much of the world may think of art in terms of Da Vinci or Van Gogh, what touches their lives on a daily basis is the cartoon, the comic, the graphic rendering. These young men have already made considerable strides in that arena, winning this year's Ignatz Award. Their work is appreciated around the country for both its artistic merit and original point of view. Please enjoy the extraordinary creations of Reese and Jake Castle."

After vigorous applause, the crowd milled around the storyboards and enlarged pages, displayed on easels and mounted on walls. The Castle family surged toward the small area that had been provided for Reese and Jake to answer questions. While Reese was eagerly explaining the finer pointed of rendering a cape, Jake pulled at the collar of his suit, unwillingly donned for the occasion. "Hey, five more minutes and you can hang your jacket over a chair somewhere," Castle advised. "Artists and writers are allowed to look disheveled. It's part of the cachet. You should have seen how I showed up for some of my book parties. It's amazing what you can hide behind a pair of sunglasses. Of course, that's before I linked up with your mom. Don't you have a girlfriend around here somewhere? The new one is Pepper, right? Her parents must have been Iron Man fans."

"Yeah. They still are. They have a life sized suit from the Robery Downey Jr. era in their den. She was supposed to be coming with them." His shoulders relaxed as he exhaled a breath. "Oh, they're coming in now."

A curvaceous red-headed teen bounded ahead of her parents to grab Jake in a hug. She inclined her head toward the approaching couple. "As usual, they're late for everything. My Dad just had to finish the last word of the story he was reading. It was one of your fa..." Pepper swallowed. "Oh hello, Mr. Castle."

"Hello yourself, Pepper. And if reading one of my books gives your parents a late start, I think they can be forgiven." He extended a hand to the approaching pair. "Richard Castle."

Pepper's parents both stuck out hands in return. "Xander Groenwalt."

"Olivia Groenwalt. We've been wanting to meet you and - Kate Beckett, right?"

"Yes. Same here," Kate replied. "Whatever time Jake's had that he hasn't been using to get ready for this show, he's been spending with your daughter."

"They do seem to be kindred spirits," Olivia agreed. "She's been writing wild stories of her own ever since she could press the keys on a computer. She was making them up, even before that. I'm not sure where it comes from. Xander and I are both avid readers, but the only writing either one of us has done was what was forced on us at school. Xander has a company that makes specialty strudel and I run a party store. Star Train characters have given us a lot of costume business."

Castle clapped Xander on the shoulder. "Groenwalt Strudel! I think my mouth has given your company a lot of business too. The orange chili chocolate? Amazing, just amazing! We need to do dinner. We can swap stories about our kids' tall tales. I'll give you a call. Now what say we tour the offerings that my sons labored so long and so hard to present?" Castle didn't wait for an answer, as he led the way.

Kate hung back with Olivia. "Jake's dated a lot of girls, but he and Pepper seem to have really clicked. I think there's a possibility this may develop into something serious."

"I get the same vibe," Olivia agreed. "I'm keeping an eye on it."

"That makes two of us," Kate said, and my husband may seem casual, but count on it. He is a pair of eyes number three."

"Same with Xander. He will definitely be number four."

A slim girl with red glasses and strands of brown hair escaping her low ponytail, made her way to the artist's area. "Hi Reese."

"Hi Miranda. I didn't think you were coming."

"I almost didn't. I have a project to finish, but I'm almost done. I needed to ask you something, anyway. The legs on female superheroes. Most artists draw their heroines wearing heels, because it makes their legs sexier. It goes with the big boobs." Reese flushed, but Miranda continued. "The women I draw aren't like that. They're more solid, you know? They just get the job done. But I don't want them to look too geekish, like with socks and sandals. Your characters always look so perfect, whoever they are. I was wondering if you could help me get the feet right. Maybe we could get together after school? I have a little studio – more like a big closet really – at my parents apartment. Maybe we could work there. I mean, now that you finished doing everything for your show."

"Sure, I can help you," Reese agreed. "But you might want to find a place where you can see a lot of feet. Maybe waiting in line for a movie or on the subway platform. Sketch what you have in mind or maybe sneak a couple of pictures if you can. You could try some screen captures from stuff on the internet too. Then we can go over whatever you have, and I can help you render it for your characters. Just let me know when you're ready."

An unaccustomed glow lit Miranda's face. "I'll do that, thanks."

"No problem," Reese replied. "I like to help with interesting details."

Miranda wandered away and stood unseeing in front of an intricately drawn battle in an alien sky. Of all the things she could have asked Reese about. Feet? It was a start. She really did need the help and he really did seem interested in her ideas for her characters. So far he'd only been a classmate she'd shared conversations with over lunch, when Jake was otherwise occupied. Maybe now he could be something more. Her mind spun with images of sitting over a drawing board together. Maybe their hands would touch and …. She shook herself, allowing even more errant strands of hair to get in her face. She pushed them back, deciding on a trip to the ladies room. There wasn't much she could do about her lack of curves, but her hair, she could try to tame.

* * *

Kate climbed into bed next to Castle. "Did you see the girl who was talking to Reese?"

"Skinny, glasses, needed a tighter scrunchy?" Castle asked.

"That's the one. You know, we were paying a lot of attention to Pepper and the Groenwalts, but the way she looked at Reese, I think I must have looked at you that way when I first stood in line to get a book signed."

Castle sighed. "Unfortunately, I don't remember. I made it a point at the time not to make too much eye contact with teenage fans. It kept me from getting into even more trouble than I was constantly in anyway. But you really think she's got a crush on Reese?"

"I think she's got more than a crush. And he didn't seem to mind talking to her either."

"No he didn't," Castle agreed. "Reese has mostly been buried in his art, up to now. He may finally be sticking his head up. It will be interesting to see what he does about the view.


	256. Chapter 256

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 256

The celebration of Lily and Akamai's Broadway debut was a sparkling affair held in the ballroom of The Four Roses. Neither member of the team was entirely comfortable with the pageantry, but their investors obviously enjoyed it. Glowing on Jake's arm in a strapless, well filled, emerald satin gown, Pepper Groenwalt enjoyed it too. Jake strutted at the side of his stunning girlfriend.

Miranda clung to Reese with considerably less confidence. The affluent atmosphere was intimidating and the crowd oppressive. She was hoping that they could leave early to wander the glittery neighborhood and scout potential back drops for battles in her latest story. She was pretty sure Reese understood her discomfiture. He'd put a protective arm around her. But it was a big night for his sister, and he wasn't about to let Lily down. Miranda couldn't blame him for that.

Martha made her usual grand entrance, with Jim. They both moved slowly, but it only served to reinforce her standing as a grand dame of the stage, encouraging the emergence of a new and exciting generation. The whole New York branch of the Kahale family was also in gleeful attendance, thoroughly steeped in Akamai's triumph.

Various cast members as well as the director, took the dais to tell stories of misadventures during rehearsals and the out-of-town try-out. After a toast to them, Lily and Akamai took their place at the controls for the system that would synthesize the orchestration, while the cast performed excerpts from the show for the party goers who watched from tables, sipping champagne and snacking on canapes.

When the presentation concluded to a standing ovation, Akamai led Lily forward, turning toward her, instead of the crowd. He knelt on one knee, swallowed and began to speak. "Lily, I can barely remember being able to write music without you. We have made this journey together every step of the way. But you are not just my musical partner. You are my heart, the completion of all my dreams. I can't imagine a life without you, now, or ever. So Lily Castle, will you marry me?"

The ballroom and the crowd retreated from Lily's consciousness. All she could see was the earnest brown eyes looking pleadingly into hers. There was no way she could even consider saying no. She couldn't imagine being without Aki either. "Yes."

Akamai reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring with a small diamond surrounded by amethysts. He slipped it on Lily's finger, to a second standing ovation from the audience. Tears over-topped Rick Castle's eyes.

* * *

Kate and Rick lay on their bed, side by side, and hand in hand. "So you're the father of the bride again," Kate observed.

"And this time, you're the mother of the bride," Castle noted. "Did Lily say anything to you about what kind of wedding she wants?"

"She really didn't have a chance tonight," Kate replied.

"Anytime?" Castle queried. "Don't all little girls have wedding fantasies? I know at one point, Alexis dreamed of a wedding gown like the hooded white dress Princess Leia wore in _A New Hope_. She abandoned that in deference to the customs of the Kasparov family, but I was just wondering if Lily had ever shared her nuptial visions with you."

"Not about a dress or a venue. She did tell me she wanted to be in love with whomever she married, and have him be as much in love with her, as you and I are. I think she's there."

"I don't know if she's there yet," Castle mused. "Our love has had a lot of years to grow, and I would hope that it has, but if God ever made two people for each other, I think they are Lily and Akamai. So however they both see their wedding, I want it to be perfect for them."

* * *

Jim handed Martha a goblet of water and a couple of pills, as she rested on the couch in their apartment. "With Lily planning her wedding, don't you think it's time we told the children what's going on with you? I'm sure she'll want you to be there."

"By which you mean she should plan to have the wedding before I die," Martha responded.

Jim's jaw tightened at the bluntness of his wife's words. "Look, Martha, the doctors missed it when you broke your leg, but now we both know what's been hiding inside your bones for a long time. The doctors have been suppressing it with medication and you've been holding it off by sheer force of will, but your last scans were not good. You need to come clean about this with the family. You know Lily would want you at the wedding, even if it just meant a ceremony at City Hall. Rick will move heaven and earth to support you in any way he can. It's time."

"You may be right," Martha conceded, "but I want to give Lily and the rest of the family some time to glory in the engagement, before I cast a shadow over everything. And I'll want to hear their plans, too. If the wedding is to be sooner rather than later, I won't have to say a word."

"And if they want to wait?"

"I suppose I'll just have to deal with it."

* * *

"You knew Akamai was going to propose to Lily tonight, didn't you?" Ahe asked Akela, as she brushed out her hair, in her nighttime ritual.

"I helped him pick out the ring," she confessed. "Lily always seems to be wearing purple, so I thought the addition of the amethysts to the diamond would suit her. I also wanted to make sure he wouldn't try to go too big, with that royalty money of his. She has very delicate fingers. It's amazing how much sound she can get out of the piano."

"The two of you did a good job. She looked blown away."

Akela shook her head. "I think She would have looked that way if he'd handed her a prize from a Cracker Jacks box. It's being with our son that she wants. The flamboyance of the ring doesn't matter, any more than it did when you gave me the one you'd carved for me out of driftwood, until you could afford something better. It's not the symbol, it's the love behind it. I don't think our son could love her more, and it's pretty obvious she feels the same way."

Ahe turned down the bed. "I just hope Rick doesn't want to go overboard about the wedding. With him, it's pretty much go big or go home."

"This from the man who wanted a three day luau. No, I think he'll surprise you. Kate told me about their wedding. They had something huge planned, but then they ended up with just family at sunset at their beach house in the Hamptons. Kate said it was perfect."

"Wow, I could never picture something that small from Castle. Well good. Maybe the kids can have a beach wedding, like we would have at home."

Akela climbed onto the bed and sat cross legged, looking up at her husband. I think we'll have have whatever kind of wedding Lily and Akamai want. I think Rick and Kate will go along with that too."

Ahe shrugged and slipped between the sheets. "Whatever you say."


	257. Chapter 257

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 257

In a tiny dressing room, Kate smoothed her daughter's hair hair and checked the make-up that had been lovingly applied by the make-up mistress from Lily's last musical. "I've never seen you look more beautiful."

"You think so?" Lily asked. "We put everything together so fast. It was obvious how sick Grandma was getting, even before Grandpa made her tell us about it. Aki and I agreed that we wanted her to be able to come, no matter what."

"She is coming," Kate confirmed. "I just talked to your Grandpa a little while ago. She's excited and wouldn't miss this day for anything in the world. But you should be thinking about you and Akamai. Is everything all set for your honeymoon? I know you were nervous about taking one."

"I was, but it is. We didn't want to go too far away because - you know. And we're going to have some meetings soon about our next show, too. So we're sticking with a traditional place that's close. We found a great B & B at Niagara Falls and there is going to be a festival while we're there, with complete coordination of a water light show with music. It should be beautiful. If we need to, we can get back in in a few hours. There's a shuttle plane service. Not as good as a ride on Johanna, but it will get us to the city. Oh God, Mama, I hear the prelude!"

Kate squeezed her daughter's hand. "You'll be fine."

The tiny theater which had housed the first professional production of a Lilaki musical, had been transformed. Flowers, including blooms air freighted from Hawaii, were everywhere. The size of the venue had aided Lily and Akamai in limiting the size of their guest list. There was only seating for 89, plus space for Martha's motorized wheelchair. Almost every seat would be occupied by family or friends, with a few allowances for Broadway angels. The ceremony would be performed by Pam Welborne, a minister who had been volunteering as a counselor at FTC.

Lily and Akamai had opted for a fusion of the cultures of the two families. Lily wore a classical wedding gown crafted of antique lace; a find from a vintage clothing shop. Her dark hair was ringed with blossoms and a lei hung around her neck. Akamai wore a light linen suit and a matching lei. Alexis stood as Lily's matron of honor, with Pepper and Miranda as her bridesmaids. Ahe served as Akamai's best man, with Jake and Reese as his groomsmen. Lily had opted to have both Rick and Kate walk her down the aisle.

The music for the ceremony was pure Lilaki, with Lily and her attendants coming down the flower strewn aisle, to a sweet but syncopated beat. As Lily took her place, Pam smiled down at the nervous couple. "A wedding is both a joyous and solemn occasion. It is made joyous by the love shared by Lily and Akamai, and their music, which uplifts this company and brightens the lives of so many others. It is solemn in that this is a lifetime commitment, never to be taken lightly. These two people will not only love, but support and encourage each other, whatever their journey through life may bring. Lily and Akamai have written their own vows, and they will speak them now. Lily?"

"Akamai, I have never known anyone like you. From the first time we played music together, I knew that we belonged together. We complete each other not just in our music, but in everything we do. I promise to love you, honor you, and cherish you, through every measure of our lives. Lilaki forever."

Pam nodded at Akamai. "Lily, I could never imagine a more perfect partner, at the keyboard or in life. I want to work with you, play with you, and be by your side, whatever the future may bring. I promise to love, honor, and cherish you throughout our living duet. Lilaki forever."

Lily lifted the lei from around her neck and offered it to Akamai, as he did the same for her.

"It you have rings, you may exchange them now," Pam announced.

Ahe handed Akamai a plain gold band, which he slid onto Lily's finger.

Alexis gave Lily a slightly thicker band. Trembling slightly, Lily ringed Akamai's finger as well.

Pam nodded, and the couple kissed, to enthusiastic applause, and a whistle from Jake.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Pam announced, "may I introduce to you: Lily and Akamai Castle-Kahale."

As the overture from _Lilaki on Broadway_ , piped through the sound system, the marriage party led the way out of the small theater and across the street to a restaurant popular with the avant garde theatrical crowd. It had been bought out for the day by Castle, for the reception.

The space around the end of the head table had been cleared, allowing plenty of space for Martha. Jim watched his wife carefully for signs of fading, but her smile was bright and her eyes brighter. Champagne and soft drinks were poured. The food was eclectic, as the ceremony had been, with exotic fruit and vegetable dishes, as well as roasted meat and barbecue. There were also sliders for some of the younger attendees.

Ahe made the toast. "When our family moved to New York - the first time - we saw it as an opportunity for Akamai to blossom as the exceptional musician that he is. We never dreamed that it would lead to both the joining of souls and the melding of families. For Lily and Akamai, whose partnership has never wavered in any way, this is another step along the road to what we all hope will be a long and successful future. To the Castle and Kahale families, this is a formalization of a joining that has been in process for many years. The Castles were there for Akamai and for the whole Kahale family, when we needed a refuge and a new start. And I fervently hope we have added joy - as well as better coffee - to their lives as well." Rick and Kate both nodded, lifting their glasses higher. "Our children share a sea of love, a flow from the ocean of the love that gave them life." Ahe continued. "Nothing could be worth celebration more than that."

"Here here!" Castle shouted as glasses clinked.

A small portable dance floor had been set up. Music poured from an old fashioned Juke box. Akamai held Lily close as they barely moved to the strains of "Only You." As their song ended, the room was shocked into motion, as the mellow music was followed by the explosive energy of Little Richard's "Tutti Fruity." For the next two hours, a crush of dancers gyrated in the tight space allotted, until Lily and Akamai took the floor a final time to close the fest with their dance to the "Hawaiian Wedding Song," by Elvis Presley. The just marrieds went to change and the guests started slowly filtering out. As Castle was signing final paperwork for the restaurant, a posh van with a wheelchair lift, arrived for Martha and Jim. "Are you right?" Jim asked his wife as he guided her toward the waiting vehicle.

"Martha reached up and touched his cheek. "Never been better in my life."

A/N No Guest, I have not forgotten that people age. I've made multiple references to gray hair, filling out, glasses, and aches and pains. I'm no spring chicken myself. Susan Sullivan is about 75 now, although I believe she was playing Martha as somewhat younger than herself. She lost her own mother, who lived a full and ebullient life, around the fourth season of Castle. I would not be surprised if her mom was in her nineties when she passed. Susan modeled Martha after her. If they don't burn out in their twenties, many members of the show business community live long and productive lives. Angela Lansbury is 91 and just joined the cast of _Mary Poppins Returns_. I don't know what the future will bring. One can hope that drugs to fight a variety of diseases will be better. Genetic targeting is certainly making strides. Perhaps the aging process will be slowed. Maybe not. But even at the present state of medical science, there is no reason to believe a woman like Martha couldn't have an active, rewarding, life, well into her nineties.


	258. Chapter 258

Life Goes On

Chapter 258

The atmosphere at the Old Haunt was upbeat. Martha had left strict instructions that she wanted a wake, not a funeral, and that her life was to be celebrated, not mourned. Castle had tried to help Jim Beckett carry out her wishes, as well as he could.

The bar was packed. Martha had a lifetime of show business acquaintances. Many of her students had come to remember her, and there was a full contingent of family and friends. Lily and Akamai were taking turns at the upright piano, providing background music. Rather than their own compositions, they played the show tunes that Martha had belted out over the years.

Attendees passed a wireless microphone from person to person, telling stories of Martha's adventures both on and off of the stage. Castle recounted his mother's fear of being poisoned by her understudy, acting out the story as he went. Without need of a microphone, Alexis bounced her voice off the walls, demonstrating projection exercises that Martha had awakened her to do at five A.M., before an audition for a school play. Ryan and Esposito reenacted the characters of Snookie and Ray, as they recalled how Martha had creatively transformed the Twelfth Precinct into a facsimile of the set of Kojak.

While storytellers took a break, several Tony winning stalwarts of the Broadway stage honored Martha's career with renditions of songs that she had performed on the stage. A lively version of Ado Annie's solo from Oklahoma, lamenting her inability to say "no," brought both smiles and tears to Castle, who vividly remembered the words and music bouncing of the walls of his loft, well into the hours of the early morning. A glance at his older daughter revealed that she recalled the incident just as clearly.

The bartender poured Martha's favorite wine into glass after glass.. As the alcohol consumption rose, so did the buoyancy of most of the crowd.

Kate hunched in a booth with her father, who was slowly sipping black coffee. "Are you okay, Dad?"

"No," Jim Becket confessed. "I know this is what Martha wanted, but the party atmosphere, it just doesn't seem right to have a party without her. I keep expecting her to sweep through the door, demanding another round of drinks for everyone, except me, of course. She was always pretty careful not to do anything that might knock me off the wagon. She even went to meetings with me sometimes. She was very supportive of everyone, her students, even rival actresses. Katie, I love you and the kids, so much." He shook his head and shrugged. "I even love Rick. But without Martha, the world is going to be a very empty place. I'm not sure I can deal with that."

Kate reached across the table for her father's hand.

* * *

"Castle, are you sure you're okay with this?" Kate pressed. "Yale isn't that far away, but the boys will still be out of the house soon and we'd finally have the place to ourselves. Are you sure you're willing to give that up?"

"Kate, I think we're more than a couple of decades past worrying about whether your father is going to try to be a chaperone. Anyway Lily was talking about having him come to live with her and Akamai, and they really need their time alone together as couple. It will be much better to have him here. I can brush up on my chess game. Who knows? I might finally learn to appreciate the finer points of baseball."

"Castle, that I would have to see."

"And, Castle added, "your Dad can give me all the dirt I've never heard about the wild adventures of Kate Beckett, biker chick."

"Fortunately, he never learned about most of those, but you can give it your best shot." Kate raked her fingers through her hair. "He might have known more than I thought he did."

"When are we supposed to go pick him up?" Castle asked.

"This afternoon. Lily and I helped him pack up what he wanted to bring with him. Those things will be on a truck that will be coming here. The rest of what's in the apartment will go into a storage pod. He'll have access to anything he wants. Eventually he'll have to figure out what he wants to do with everything, but he's not up to that now."

"There are probably people lining up to put an offer on that apartment," Castle speculated.

"He's not ready for that yet. I think he may just rent it out for a while, but he hasn't talked much about it."

"Just as well," Castle considered. "From what I've read, when you lose a spouse, you're not supposed to make major decisions for a while. You have to get your head straight. We'll just give him the space he needs. We can always have a manager look after the place. I know someone."

Kate smiled and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you always do."

* * *

"Are you worried about your grandfather?" Akamai asked as Lily pounded out a theme of melancholy dissonance.

"I suppose I shouldn't be, since he's with my parents, but yes," Lily admitted. "He always seemed so lost when Grandma wasn't around. I mean it's not like he couldn't take care of himself or anything, except when he had his stroke. It's more like he didn't always want to. He's always been there for me. He was always the one who understood what was going on in my head, even more than my mom and dad. I miss Grandma too, but not the way he does. I just want to make things better for him, but there's not much I can do."

"Maybe you don't see it, but I think you're already doing it," Akamai offered. "Even now, while he's still mourning for your grandmother, he lights up when he sees you. So just keep being there for him. If you need more time away from our work, I can pick up the slack. I still need you for the music. Lilaki is Lilaki, but there's no reason why I can't take a meeting or two by myself if you want to spend more time with him. I think I may have inherited some of my father's business talent. I'm pretty good with negotiations, and if I have a problem, the entertainment law firm your grandmother steered us to, has always worked out great for us. Lily, you should do it now. You never know when the next lava flow is coming."

Lily wrapped her arms around her husband's waist. "Have I ever told you how wonderful you are?"

"The last time I brought you a milkshake, but you can show me by correcting that chord structure, after you go see your grandfather."

"It's a deal," Lily agreed.

* * *

Cream cheese squirted out the sides of Grant Sullivan's bagel as he chomped down on it while studying his case file. It was a sad situation. The Ma family was sure their daughter had been forcibly taken from their home. Local police were equally sure that she hadn't been, as was the FBI. What little evidence there was of a struggle, they didn't find credible - or didn't want to. There were no usable prints or DNA, and there had been no demand for ransom. Li Ma was just gone. The assumption by law enforcement, was that she had run away. The Mas were past frustration. They had posted on social media, put up fliers, and knocked on every door in their community. They'd come to RCI out of desperation. Sully felt for them, but he wasn't sure there was anything he could do. That wouldn't keep him from trying.


	259. Chapter 259

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 259

Li wasn't sure where she was. She and the other girls were transported to the parties in windowless vans. It had been sheer luck that when her captors had been arguing over fees with their newest clients, she had been able to run away. She hadn't thought about it, or even looked around. She'd just kept moving. Exhaustion finally took the strength from her legs and she sank down against a locked door, near a dumpster.

* * *

Mai gazed down at the sleeping, disheveled girl Jake had laid on the couch in their apartment. "You just found her in the alley?"

"Yeah, she was against the door when I went to throw out the boxes from the pizza Reese and I had last night, while we were watching that movie about the take down of that terrorist groups on the Afghan border. We were having a competition to see who could spot the most inaccuracies in the story, but after a while we stopped counting, and just drank our beer and stuffed our faces. It was either that or punch the screen."

"Or turn it off," Mai suggested. "So she was just sitting there asleep? Did you try to wake her up?"

"Of course," Jake replied. "She barely stirred. She looks like she's been through some kind of hell. Before we call the cops, I thought we should get her story. Who knows what she might be running away from? Given your history, I thought you would be sympathetic to that. She might even open up to you."

The girl shifted slightly against the hemp fabric bedspread. "It looks like she might be waking up now," Mai noted. "I don't see any serious injuries. We can give it a few minutes. I think Reese must have rubbed off on you, bringing in a stray."

"Could be," Jake acknowledged, "or maybe I'm just getting soft."

Mai pressed a hand against his still rock hard abs. "Not much chance of that."

Li could hear words, like a far away buzzing in her brain. Fearful of finding herself back with her captors, she resisted opening her eyes, but the voices were unfamiliar. "You'll be all right,here," a woman called softly. "This is a safe place. No one will hurt you." Li's eyelids lifted slowly. She could see a woman bending over her and a man standing beside the bed. "That's right," the woman continued. "You're okay now. I'm Mai. That hulk is Jake. We won't let anything happen to you. Can you tell me your name?"

Li tried to speak, but no words came out of her mouth. Tears began to form in her eyes.

"Maybe she can't talk," Jake suggested. "When I was in the service, I saw that happen to kids who were traumatized. Maybe she can write." He offered her a notepad, but Li could produce nothing more than a scribble.

Mai looked up at her long-time lover and companion. "I think it's time to call someone."

* * *

Starting the workday with daily reports at RCI, Sully stared at the picture on Jake's phone. "Wait a minute! That's the girl you found behind Mai's studio?"

"Why?" Jake asked. "Do you know who she is?"

"Know who she is," Sully repeated, "I'm been banging my head against a wall trying to find her. Her parents have been going crazy. Where is she now?"

"She seemed to be in some kind of shock. The paramedics who came with the cops took her to Belleview."

"Oh man," Sully exclaimed. "I need to call her parents, right now."

* * *

Min Ma swiped a hand across her eyes as she confronted Dr. Ramden. "I don't understand. You're saying our daughter can't speak or write? She's an "A" student. She was taking AP classes in seventh grade. What happened to her?"

"The best we can tell is that someone put some kind of injection into the Broca's Area of her brain, inducing some kind of aphasia, loss of language function. Whoever did it, appeared to be very sophisticated. Nothing else was damaged."

Man Ma put an arm around his wife's shoulders. "Who would do such a thing?"

Ramden shrugged. "We have no idea. The police are trying to find out."

"Will she get better?" Min asked.

"There is reason to hope," Ramden allowed. "Lesions in that area are very common as a result of strokes. With time and therapy, other areas of the brain have been known to take over the language functions. We'll be transferring her to a rehab facility where she can get the proper treatment."

* * *

"What's bothering you, Babe?" Kate asked, as Castle absently stirred his coffee for the third time.

"Well you know I love to incorporate the weird cases into my detective dynasty books. Alexis just sent me the write-up on one. I'm not sure my readers would believe the coincidences, but even without those, the whole thing is dumbfounding. Jake stumbled on a girl, whom Sully just happened to looking for as a potential kidnap victim. But that's not the weirdest thing. Her brain had been sabotaged so she couldn't tell anyone what happened to her. Since then, the police have uncovered two more cases that were like her, they just hadn't but them together before."

"A serial brain eater, Castle? That doesn't make sense."

"Kate, I've said it from our very first case together, there's got to be a story that will make it make sense. There's always a story. I'm going to figure it out. Jake's on this too. Since he found the girl, he's not letting it go. Neither is Sully. He's working with the parents, and they want to know what happened. They need to know. If it were, God forbid, Alexis or Lily, I'd need to know."

"Was there evidence of sexual assault?" Kate queried.

"Sex yes, but the doctors haven't categorically said assault The evidence is ambiguous. And condoms were used, so there's no DNA."

"Katie," Jim Beckett queried, looking up from his own coffee, "you know I didn't handle that type of law, but isn't the hardest thing about prosecuting sexual assault getting the victim to talk about it? Your mother worried about that quite a bit, when you weren't around to be exposed to that kind of heartbreaking discussion. If those unfortunate girls were used that way, keeping them from testifying would be pretty close to committing the perfect crime."

Castle smacked the table, rattling the breakfast dishes. "Jim, that's it! Yes it would! Just suppose this is some new twist on a very old and pernicious game. These girls are taken for the sale of their bodies, and further abused by being silenced."

"It's an interesting, if terrifying theory," Kate offered, as Reese, the younger, sleepily wandered in. "But if the girls have no language and there's no physical evidence, how could anyone ever prove what happened?"

"Were you talking about people who have no language?" Reese asked, pouring his own cup of coffee.

"You know that language can use a different part of the brain than pictures, right? Miranda is volunteering with some kids like that. They can't speak or write or sign, but graphics have been working. She's been helping to upgrade a completely image based communications system. It's not as fast as written or spoken language, but it works. Maybe she can work with whomever it is you've been talking about."

"If she she can," Kate asserted, "It could blow the case wide open."

A/N Yes, Yale has a school of the arts. One famous graduate is cartoonist Gary Trudeau, of Doonesbury fame. The boys haven't started at Yale yet, but they are about to soon. If Cory hasn't gone to doggie heaven by now, he might be the longest lived pooch in history. He was no puppy when the Castles adopted him. He was a worthy and much loved member of the family. Who knows who might follow in his paw prints?


	260. Chapter 260

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 260

"So how's "Project Graphics Speak" going guys? Castle inquired as the twins gulped down most of a quart of orange juice.

"It's amazing!" Jake replied. "I didn't think much would come of it, when Reese and Miranda pulled Pepper and me in for the whole story telling part of the thing, but it's working. We think up scenarios. Then Reese and Miranda draw them to show to Li and the other victims. The faces of the girls show whether we're on the right track or not. We're actually putting together their testimony in graphic novel form, a few panels at a time. And as we confirm things like the shape of the building where the prisoners were being held, and what kind of places they were taken, Big Jake and Sully are using the information in their investigation, and so are the cops. The perps are going down!

"That is incredible," Kate said. "I never would have thought you guys would be getting into crime busting."

"That's only part of it, at least for me," Reese put in. "Miranda was working on helping people communicate long before Li's case had anything to do with it. I'm thinking of putting together a special arts major at Yale, in facilitating alternative methods of communication. Miranda wants to do the same thing at NYU. She'll be my link in the city, then we can work together during the summer. It will be a whole new direction for me."

"And an exceptional one," Jim Beckett put in. "Your grandmother would have been very proud of you for using your talent for such a wonderful purpose. And so am I."

"Here, here," Castle added. "Jake, what about your partner in crime? Is Pepper still going to film school at Tisch, or has she changed direction?"

"No, she's still going. She wants to write for film, and maybe direct too. But she's been talking about doing a short about Project Graphics Speak. If we can get Lily and Akamai to score it, it could really get some attention. Pepper's interested in animated films, too. We'll find a way to make it all fit together. New Haven is only an hour and a half drive from New York and there is one of those new trains Mom campaigned so hard for, that makes the trip even faster. It won't be much worse than living in separate boroughs, for Pepper and me, or for Reese and Miranda."

* * *

"You were looking very thoughtful over breakfast," Castle observed, as Kate prepared to go to her office.

"Mm. Something I've been running up against a lot in my cases is that my clients have all kinds of disabilities that were never properly diagnosed or dealt with. It's a lot like what the premise is behind Fill the Cracks. These people slipped through holes in the system. They have visual problems or hearing impairments, so they dropped behind and got frustrated and struck out. Same thing with learning disabilities, especially the more subtle ones. They got pulled into crime because they couldn't do anything else, and they didn't do that very well either. Their cronies made them the fall guys while they skated, and they didn't have the wherewithal to mount a decent defense. I was just thinking, that for some of them, alternative forms of communication, like Reese was talking about, might open things up. There's some art therapy in prison, but nothing like that."

"So is that going to be your newest crusade, effective communication for inmates?" Castle queried. "A lofty, if incredibly ambitious goal."

"Not a full blown crusade, Castle, at least not yet. I thought I'd start on a case by case basis, using the premise of free speech, or freedom from cruel and unusual punishment, as a constitutional basis. I thought I might get my father into it too. It would give him something interesting to occupy his mind, and I could really use his point of view. He still sees a lot of things in human behavior, that I miss. He's always understood me better than I understood myself. He's been the same way with Lily."

"I know," Castle acknowledged. "Lily's been spending a lot of time here to support him, but it has definitely gone both ways. Involving him is a really a great idea. The whole communication aspect could be something for me to incorporate into a book too. It's been a while since I did anything primarily literary. You've given me a great jumping off point."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "Do I smell another potential Pulitzer?"

Castle shrugged. "I don't know if I care about that anymore. I've already had "Pulitzer Prize winning author," in front of my name for a long time. For years, Paula could never get enough of it. The current generation of readers are usually more interested in the cult cachet of Star Train, anyway. I think right now I'd like to try to do my bit to open people's minds to new avenues of understanding criminal behavior. The story won't be so much about who's the bad guy but why's the bad guy. Would there even be a bad guy if things were different? I need to finish my current book in the Detective Dynasty series, but I can start work on a new one too. You and I may even be able to brainstorm together. We don't get to do that nearly as often anymore. I miss it."

"So do I." Kate admitted. "But I have to go. I should be able to make it back for dinner."

Castle kissed her cheek. "I look forward to it."

* * *

As he was throwing laundry into the dryer, Castle caught sight of the doggie door, long unused since Cory had gone to his well deserved reward. At the time, he had proposed getting another dog, but the kids wouldn't even consider it, especially the twins. Cory had been one of their superheroes, and another dog could just not live up to his exploits. The boys would be out of the house soon, and he could use some extra motivation to get out of his chair on a regular basis. As productive and lucrative as his time in front of the keyboard had been, especially in the last decade, he really needed to move around more. He still often thought better on his feet anyway. Walking a dog might be just the thing he needed. Having some furry comfort around wouldn't hurt Jim Beckett either. He'd have to get Kate's agreement, but there was no reason not to go down to the shelter and look around. It might not be a bad idea to take Jim with him. Kate would have a hard time saying no to both of them.

* * *

Rick and Jim surveyed the soulful, if occasionally slobbering, faces. "Let's not go too small," Jim suggested. "I've always liked bigger dogs. They seem more substantial."

"And neither one of us would have to bend over as far to pet one, either." Castle added.

Jim chuckled. "I wouldn't have brought that up, but you have a point."

"So who looks like a likely addition to the family?" Castle pondered.

Jim pointed. "What about that one?"

Castle regarded the dog in question. It was large. It wasn't as endearingly ugly as Cory had been, but as a breed, it was just as unidentifiable. Something wrinkly had been in the mix, but it was not at all clear what. "Do any of you want to live in a Castle castle?" Rick called out to the four footed assemblage. When a deep resonant woof sounded from the from the muzzle of the canine candidate in question, Rick knew the next member of his household had been found.


	261. Chapter 261

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 261

Castle threw the Ledger's special investigative report on the "Silenced Sacrifices," up on the big screen in his office. The story was the collaboration of several reporters and detailed how the pimping operation had kidnapped Li Ma and a number of other girls, who fit specific ethnic profiles. They'd been brain damaged and used to provide entertainment for parties of the perverse but well to do. It was portrayed as a new and despicable twist on an ancient enterprise, which had been highly successful until brought down by dedicated teams of both police and civilians. There was an entire sidebar devoted to Project Graphics Speak, as well as a mention of the work of operatives of RCI. Rick was especially pleased to read a related story about how the victims of the evil enterprise were slowly regaining their language skills. The story made note that they still had a considerable way to go on the road to recovery, but the prognosis was optimistic. Some day they might be able to recount their experiences in their own words. Castle hoped that one place they might do that would be at a parole hearing, to keep their captors behind bars. He surveyed the entire saga with both pride and satisfaction at the accomplishments of both his biological and honorary family members.

Another family member was due that afternoon. Elizabeth had contracted the writing bug and was coming to consult with her grandpa for some sage advice. Castle preferred to think of himself as a mentor, rather than a patriarch dispensing the wisdom of age. The latter conjured up images of himself with a long white beard and a quill pen.

School had not started out well for Elizabeth, the subtle developmental delays that resulted from the complications of her birth, had slowed her early progress. With as much help as the family could offer, Alexis and Sergei had moved Heaven and Earth to help her catch up, and Lagi Latu had carefully tailored her program and enlisted the help of therapists from the university, to aid in her progress. It had taken a lot of hard work, but in the past year or two, she had taken off like a rocket, surpassing many of her classmates. Her newest project was the crafting of a detective novella. That put support for her efforts, squarely in in Castle's wheelhouse, and he couldn't have been more excited.

He'd dug up the notebooks he'd kept of his early efforts, and noted where he could have done better. Then he retrieved the records of how he'd outlined his Derrick Storm plots before the detective had morphed into a spy. It was more than he'd done for Alex Conrad or any of the other aspiring authors who'd sought his counsel over the years, but then none of them had been his immensely talented granddaughter. All that was left to do was to put in a little time in the kitchen to create snacks appropriate to the family literary conclave.

Elizabeth showed up exactly on time. She had an almost obsessive adherence to punctuality, something that in turn both delighted and frustrated her parents. Castle was sure the genes for it must have come from the Kasparov side of the family. Neither he nor Meredith had ever shown anything approaching that type of behavior. Generally, Alexis hadn't either. Nevertheless, it had made planning the afternoon a lot easier. He'd set aside a nice block of time for his head to head with Elizabeth, before Rumbles would require a walk. The dog had been given the name at the shelter, in response to his deep-throated bark, and no one in the family had seen a reason to change it. The process of hatching ideas while pursuing more physical activities, would continue the instruction of his protege.

When she arrived, Castle gazed at his granddaughter. She was a melding of both her parents. She had Sergei's darker eyes and hair, but Alexis' pale skin. Castle suspected that as she matured, she would take on an exotic type of beauty that might give Sergei the urge to reach for either a baseball bat or a shotgun, to keep the boys at a safe distance. Elizabeth's enthusiasm was pure Alexis as she bounced into his office, ready to begin their work. As the questions flowed, and a story line developed, they never even made it to snacks, breaking only when Rumble's announcement of his needs echoed off the walls.

* * *

Kate had endured a truly rotten day. She'd run smack up against a judge who firmly declared that he had no interest in coddling prisoners. He hadn't the slightest interest in her statements from professionals that augmentative communication might aid in her client one day being a fully contributing member of society. As far as he was concerned, prison was not meant to be some kind of summer camp. She would have to start all over again with a different petition, hopefully to a different judge. Meanwhile, any further education her client received, would be from the criminal fraternity. She dropped her briefcase and kicked off her shoes at the door. Her father looked up from the tablet he was reading, ensconced in a chair that had been informally designated, "the seat of wisdom." "Let me guess, Judge Thune."

"That son of a bitch has nothing on his mind except keeping what he perceives as criminal subhumans behind bars, then going home to enjoy a gourmet dinner. He's writing for foodie blogs. Can you believe it? I think he spends more time considering the elements of a proper spice rub than he does the basic precepts of the law. If he left the bench for a spot on the Food Channel, he and the rest of the world would be better for it."

"You can go around him," Jim counseled. "You've done it before. And Rick and Elizabeth have been pursuing some culinary undertakings of their own. Apparently, your husband has convinced her that one form of creativity feeds another."

"Well, it always has for him," Kate allowed, "except after he tried dipping Vegemite in chocolate. Even he couldn't stomach that one."

Jim winced. "Yeah, I can imagine. But the aroma of what he and Elizabeth have been putting together in kitchen has been making my stomach rumble for the last half hour. I've been almost as loud as the dog. Good food might help to get the bad taste of dealing with Thune, out of your mouth.

Rick and Elizabeth emerged triumphantly from their labors over a hot stove to announce that dinner was ready. She had carefully set the table with artfully folded napkins and carefully arranged plates and flatware. Rick brought in a stoneware container full of a melange of fragrantly spiced meat and vegetables. Elizabeth added a platter of chunks of cooked potato, seasoned with olive oil, coarse salt, and pepper. A pitcher of iced tea brewed with fresh mint, already stood on the table, ready to fill the goblets at each place. Elizabeth proudly took on the chore of serving.

Jim Beckett appreciatively savored the contents of his fork. "Elizabeth, if you are as talented a writer as you are a cook, this family may have another best selling author."

Kate closed her eyes as the melding of spices aroused her tongue. The contents of the crock on the table would help her to put the crock that she'd endured from the bench, that afternoon, behind her. She smiled at both her husband and his granddaughter. "Just what I needed."


	262. Chapter 262

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 262

Unless it came from Disney or another major Studio, the launch of an animated film was usually not a major event. To Castle, the debut of a particular film was an excuse to stage a gala. That the event would benefit Project Graphics Speak, would be an added bonus.

The film premiered to a full house at a film festival in Soho. The plot centered on a planet whose language had been stolen by a supervillain, who then sold the inhabitants en masse into slavery. A superhero helps the oppressed aliens stage a revolt by enabling them to project pictures of their thoughts. They gain their freedom and banish the supervillain to a life of total isolation on an empty world. A coda to the film gave the story of Project Graphics Speak. The applause was enthusiastic and sincere. Following the end of the film, many members of the audience departed to attend the celebration in the ballroom Castle had booked in a nearby hotel.

A glowing Pepper entered the fest on Jake's arm. Reese followed with Miranda. Cell phones clicked as Lily arrived with Akamai, a baby bump very obvious beneath her artfully draped purple gown. Akamai locked eyes with his father-in-law, as Lily was carefully seated at the table, already occupied by Rick, Kate, and Jim Beckett. Servers circulated, offering a light supper and taking orders for drinks.

The clatter stilled as Pepper took the podium to begin her speech. "The list of people I have to thank is long, so I hope you will indulge me. First and foremost, I would like to thank Project Graphics Speak for providing the inspiration for this project and Miranda Pierson for dragging me into involvement with their incredible work. For his indispensable contributions to the animation, Reese Castle, and for his unique and indefatigable creative spirit, the one and only Jake Castle. To Mel, Daws, Andrea, Kevin, Alan, and Nathan, my comrades at Tisch who gave me your time and lent me your voices, I couldn't have done it without you. I'm sure everyone in the theatrical world knows Lilaki, Lily, and Akamai Castle-Kahale, who provided both the incredible score and the celebrity cachet, without which this film would still be languishing on my computer. I would also like to thank Richard Castle, who allowed us to avail ourselves of the skills of his PR organization. Most of all I would like to thank my parents, Xander and Olivia Groenwalt. It took a lot of strudel and party hats to get me here tonight, and a lot of nervous moments wondering if their daughter should be pursuing a major that might actually earn her a living someday. Mom and Dad, I hope you think it was worth it." From the audience, Olivia Groenwalt threw her daughter a kiss, and the crowd cheered. "So now, I urge you to eat, drink, and enjoy the party."

With the ravenousness that accompanied the eight months of carrying a child, Lily attacked the thinly sliced meats and assorted vegetables on her plate. She noticed that Jim Beckett seemed less than eager to do the same. "Are you all right, Grandpa?"

"Just tired," Jim Beckett assured her.

"Maybe we should get you home," Kate suggested.

"I'm just fine," Jim insisted. In truth, he would have loved to find somewhere to lie down for a while, but there was no way he was going to ruin what was a huge evening for his grandchildren. "How's my great grandson doing?" he inquired.

"He's great!" Akamai enthused, pulling out his phone. "This is the latest ultrasound."

Jim surveyed the image. It was clearly a baby, but that was all he could make out. He smiled as broadly as he could. "He looks wonderful. Have you two settled on a name yet?"

"Not yet," Lily replied, lightly stroking her expansive belly. "Some of the actors in our current show claim it's bad luck to name a baby before it's born. I know it's silly to believe anything like that, but we're still narrowing down our choices anyway, so it can wait. Aki was looking through a list of great soccer players' names because he kicks so hard, but none of them seemed to fit."

"When the time comes, you'll figure it out," Jim assured her.

* * *

"Dad wasn't doing well at the gala," Kate observed after she'd made sure her father was settled for the night. "I think Rumbles is worried about him. He curled up next to his bed. Dogs sense things. Cory always did."

"Kate, he is ninety," Castle said. "I get tired more easily than I used to, and he has more than twenty years on me."

"Yeah, but I think it's more than that. He's never been quite the same since Martha died. He's always been at his strongest around Lily, and the boys too, but tonight it was obvious that he was fading. I think he should see Dr. McQueen if we can talk him into it."

"I don't know if we can, but I bet Lily could," Castle proposed. "I'll give her a call tomorrow."

"We should both give her a call tomorrow," Kate decided.

* * *

Carl McQueen had been in medicine long enough to know how to deal with stubborn patients. Most of his practice fit that description. He was pretty sure that if his granddaughter had not ushered him through the door, Jim Beckett would not have been in his examining room that day. The medication that he'd prescribed had been holding back the symptoms of heart failure for some time, but it was clear that its effectiveness had been steadily diminishing. He'd seen it happen many times after the loss of a beloved spouse. There really was such a thing as a broken heart. When one partner was gone, the other would fade. But Jim Beckett hadn't given up yet. He'd spoken eagerly about the impending birth of his great grandson. If McQueen had to make a guess, Beckett would beat Saint Peter back with a baseball bat before he'd leave the Earth without seeing that child. But after that, he'd just have to see. He'd added another medication, which might further extend the man's life, but there was no way of knowing how long. Beckett had not given McQueen permission to say anything to his family. Privacy laws demanded that the doctor keep his peace, but he was pretty sure the couple who'd brought him to the office, and Beckett's granddaughter, could see what was coming. It was in their eyes.

* * *

For a first child, Lily's son had been born quickly. The strength of his lungs was obvious from his first cry. He'd nursed eagerly and curled his fingers strongly around whatever digit touched his palm. As far as both sets of grandparents were concerned, he was absolutely perfect, except for the lack of a name.

Lily was waiting for Jim Beckett. Much as he'd wanted to, he hadn't had the strength to sit in a hospital waiting room through her hours of labor. A health care aide was with him at the Castle home, but Kate and Rick had promised to bring him to see the baby, as soon as they could get him there.

Jim leaned on Kate's arm as he entered Lily's hospital room. The infant was in his granddaughter's arms, enveloped in Akamai's loving gaze. He reached out to touch the tiny face. "What have you decided to name him?"

"James," Lily declared. "His name is James Mele Castle-Kahale."

A/N You can picture her as you like, but I was picturing Elizabeth in yesterday's chapter as being about twelve, which is coincidentally how old I was when I wrote my first novella. With the Castle genes, I suspect hers would be a lot better than mine was. Mele is Hawaiian for music. Lily and Akamai had chosen to go to Tisch, but obviously, they would have had to fit their education in around their work. I think the school would be more than happy to accommodate something like that. Lily is now in her early twenties. The boys are about 3 years younger. I based Jim Beckett's age on Scott Paulin's age. I made the age gap between him and Castle roughly the same as the age gap between Scott and Nathan; 21 years. Paulin was born in 1950, which would make the current year approximately 2040.


	263. Chapter 263

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 263

Jim Beckett reached for his daughter's hand as the video ended. "The dedication of the Augmentative Communications Center at Rikers. Kate, I'm so proud of you. Your mother would have been too."

"It was a joint effort Dad, and you were a big part of it," Kate insisted. "There's still a long way to go. Prisoners will have to be individually qualified for services. We'll also have to be vigilant about making sure the funding is continued. Judge Thune is hardly alone in his views. There are a lot of people out there who believe that prison exists only as a deterrent and that prisoners' lives should be as miserable as possible."

"Well I know you'll stay on top of it," Jim asserted.

"Speaking of staying on top of things," Castle said, "Lily and Akamai are bringing James over tonight. It's been a while since we had to worry about a crawling baby. We have to double-check the cabinets to make sure everything is safe. I need to pull the high chair out of storage, and we have to make sure there's no dog fur in the rug. I want to put bumpers on the coffee table too."

"Sounds like you have your work cut out for you," Kate commented. "I have to be in court this afternoon, but I'll be back in time to help with dinner."

Castle pulled her to him for a quick kiss before she left, then clapped his hands together. "Now what part of mission baby-safe should I carry out first?"

"You'll want to save vacuuming the rug for last," Jim suggested. "Give Rumbles as little time as possible to renew the evidence of his presence. If you give me the rubber corners, I can put them on for you. Not a whole lot of physical exertion involved in that."

"Great," Castle responded. "I'll retrieve the high chair and start my survey for hidden hazards. You can help remind me of any I miss."

"I doubt that will be necessary, Rick, but I appreciate the vote of confidence."

* * *

Kate made it home in time to take over dicing the tomatoes for the salad, as Castle was applying a Band-Aid to his thumb. "Why didn't you use the handy-dandy slicer dicer you bought during the midnight blitz of marketing to insomniacs?" Kate inquired.

Castle growled. "I did. I caught my thumb in it. "Our top of the line, super sharp, advanced carbon steel knife set is safer. I think I'll write that satanic device into a story as a cautionary tale of late night gullibility."

"Not a bad idea," Kate agreed, "just change the name enough to avoid a lawsuit. The manufacturer could probably make more suing you than by selling the thing. Where's Dad? How's he doing?"

"It's been one of his good days. He even helped me get the place ready for James. He's just catching a nap now so that he can be at his best to enjoy the baby later."

"Good," Kate nodded. "Our grandson has been a godsend for him."

"For all of us," Castle agreed. "Well almost all of us. Miranda has been making nesting noises, and Reese has been talking about getting married and starting a family. It wouldn't hurt for them to wait a while since they're both into graduate study in the therapeutic use of art. They still have a long way to go to earn their professional credentials. That was not the direction I'd expected Reese to go in when he and Jake were making comic books. At least I could have used my connections to help him in that. Even with their history with Project Graphics Speak, he and Miranda have a lot of work ahead of them."

"Castle, I agree that for Reese and Miranda, having a baby might be jumping the gun a bit, but they've been living together for a long time. There's no reason why they shouldn't get married - unless you know something I don't."

"Nothing you'd consider probative," Castle allowed, "but when we had Birch and Rhonda Pierson over, remember, Rumbles didn't like Birch. We had to put him outside for a while. Also, Rhonda's dress had a tear in it, that had been mended. It was very well done, and most people wouldn't have noticed, but it brought me to suspect that they may be having financial troubles, or possibly something more serious than that. Rumbles wouldn't care about money, but he might have sensed something else. I don't think Miranda was enthusiastic about having them meet us, either. She dragged Reese off in a corner. They were whispering something other than sweet nothings to each other."

"Yeah, I saw that too. But Castle, Miranda is of age. If she wants to get married, it doesn't really matter what her parents think. She and Reese can build whatever life they want for themselves."

"Wow, Kate! Usually I'm the one who is brimming with optimism, but in this case, I don't think it's going to be that simple. I guess we'll just have to see what develops." Castle consulted his watch. "I'll set the table. I cooked generously. Lily said she's bringing food for James, to supplement her breast milk, but she'll still be burning calories like crazy."

Kate felt a twinge of muscle memory in her own breasts. "Yes, she will."

Lily and Akamai were fifteen minutes late, not too bad for parents managing with a baby. James had fallen asleep in the car and was fussy at being awakened, so Lily opted for some time with him in Kate's old rocking chair, before even thinking about dinner. No one minded the delay. It gave Castle a chance to brew a fresh pot of coffee from the new beans Akamai had contributed from the more than ample supply he'd just received from his father. Jim Beckett joined Kate and Akamai in the living room, just before Lily wandered back in. Any remaining traces of fatigue disappeared from his face when his granddaughter placed James in his lap. "I can't believe how fast he's growing."

"The pediatrician says he's at the eightieth percentile," Lily announced. "Aki and I aren't that big, but some of the people in his family are, and of course Reese and Jake are too, so that he may end up as the biggest one in the family. It seems that way from the how much he eats. I can stuff myself all day and not gain a pound."

"You have to watch out for that," Kate cautioned. "When I stopped nursing your brothers, I had to cut way back, or I would have been back into the tents I wore when I was pregnant."

"You were gorgeous when you were pregnant, just like Lily was," Castle declared, arriving still wreathed in the scent of coffee. "Akamai, wasn't your wife breathtaking when she was carrying James?"

Akamai knew there was only one answer. "Absolutely."

Castle rubbed his hands together. "Now that we've got that settled, dinner is served."

Lily retrieved James from Jim's lap, and Akamai automatically extended a hand to help the family patriarch from his seat. They followed their noses to the dining room.

"So are you two starting a new musical?" Castle asked when the group was finally settled at the table.

Lily and Akamai looked at each other. "We thought you'd know. We're scoring the latest reboot of Star Train."

Castle's face almost split with pleasure. "I didn't hear. My contract doesn't give me approval of the music, just the screenplay and the major actors. But that is good news indeed. Yet another part of the family claiming their part of the sky. Don't let anyone take it from you."


	264. Chapter 264

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 264

Castle was surprised when Reese showed up. He was even more surprised that it was the middle of a Wednesday afternoon when he would have expected his son to have better things to do than paying a visit to the homestead. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked, after catching Reese in a hug.

"I'm not sure you'll regard it as a pleasure, Dad. I'm here to ask for a favor. Miranda's in trouble."

"She's pregnant?" Castle queried.

"Not that kind of trouble. Her scholarship isn't enough to cover expenses, and the grant that supported her work with the kids has been cut. She's drowning. I'm picking up as much as I can of the food bill and other expenses, but she doesn't like to feel as if she needs someone to support her. She thinks her mother fell into that trap, and it wasn't a good situation. It still isn't. She won't take money from me or anyone else. I'm not sure she would even if we got married. She needs to earn it on her own."

"So, if I'm getting what you're telling me right, a grant has to come from somewhere to support work that thoroughly deserves to be supported. An anonymous donor perhaps?"

Reese shook his head. "I'm not sure she'd buy that. She's wicked smart; you know that. She'd see the Castle name written all over it."

"Then what?" Castle wondered.

"No one knows why the grant was pulled in the first place. It was just canceled. If we could find out what happened, maybe it could be restored. That would be good for Miranda. It would be good for the kids. It would be good for everyone. You know a lot of people on the charity circuit. So, does Mom. Maybe you could find out how to fix whatever happened."

"I can try," Castle agreed, "and I'm sure your mother will want to help too."

"Just do it fast, Dad. Miranda's talking about dropping out of school so she can work full time."

"You fell in love with a stubborn, independent woman." Castle clapped his son on the shoulder. "Definitely a chip off the old block."

* * *

Castle grimly put down the phone. He had expected to hear about some behind the scenes intrigue, or perhaps that an unpleasant divorce had put a kink in a major donation to the foundation that had withdrawn Miranda's grant. What he'd found out was a lot more disturbing. A number of charities had invested their money in a fund that was making returns above market averages. The fund had a sterling reputation. Then one day, it seemed to have disappeared from the surface of the planet. The money disappeared with it. What appeared to have been a massive scam reminded Castle a little of the pyramid scheme perpetrated by Bernie Madoff. That con man had even taken in Spielberg, among many others. But Madoff had owned up to what he did and gone to prison for it. Eventually, a team of forensic accountants was able to restore some of the stolen funds to their rightful owners. This situation was different. A thief had essentially folded his tent and disappeared into the night, taking his treasure with him. The FBI was looking into it, but even with Jordan Shaw at the helm of the agency, things were moving slowly. No one's life was at risk, at least not in an obvious way. The investigation had not been a top priority. Well, it would be now. The detective dynasty would be on the job. Castle picked up his phone again, this time to call Alexis, before having another thought. It wouldn't hurt to renew acquaintances with Jordan, especially if she could enlist the services of Scootchie Molson. If anyone could track the movement of illicit funds, the former Grid Goblin could."

* * *

"Castle, are you serious?" Jordan asked. "Obviously I can't go into details, but Scootchie is on the trail of terrorists. Lives are at stake. I am truly sorry that those charities got ripped off, but as I understand it, there are some very good people already working on that case."

"Jordan. I'm sure there are," Castle argued. "but if you think hunting terrorists will have more impact on the well-being of people in this country than restoring those stolen funds, the facts don't support it. How many people have died from terrorist attacks in the US in the last five years? Three? Maybe you've prevented a lot more deaths. But come on. As politically popular as it is to fight terrorism, more people will suffer from the lack of services that the charities that were decimated would have provided. We're talking about food, clothing, shelter, specialized medical services, and therapy. People who don't receive those things, lose their quality of life or lose their lives altogether. It just doesn't make the news like someone being taken out by a suicide bomb. Put Scootchie on it, maybe just for a week. He's fast. Mark my words, you will be doing the citizens you serve, a tremendous service."

Jordan sighed. "Castle, I know I owe you. This country owes you. Alright, a week. And if he turns something up, I'll direct the cyber unit to keep him on it."

"Great! I always knew it was worth saving your life, Jordan."

"Castle, don't push your luck."

* * *

"What do you mean you want to move to L.A.?" Jake demanded. "everything's been happening for you, for both of us, in New York!"

"I know," Pepper acknowledged, "but the major studios are still in L.A. There's more opportunity there. Not just for me, but for you too. There are a lot more writing gigs. All the character universes like Marvel and DC have offices there. It's where comics and movies intersect."

"You do have a point," Jake agreed grudgingly, "and it would be the start of a new adventure. But our families are here. Your parents sweated blood to get you this far. I know they'd love to see you go big time, but don't you think they'd like to share it? And Reese and I have worked together ever since we could hold a crayon. I know he and Miranda have been going in a different direction than we have, but he and I are still partners."

Pepper's eyes hardened. "I thought we were partners, Jake. Or does your brother keep your feet warm at night, too?"

Jake smacked his hand against the wall. "Pepper, that is just ridiculous, and you know it! Look, I love you. You know that. But I need some time to think about this."

"Fine!" Pepper retorted. "Think about it all you like, but I'm working on lining up a gig in L.A., and when I have one, I'm going, whether you go with me or not. You can find someplace else to sleep tonight, too. Then you can wear your idiotic socks!"

"If you really did keep my feet warm at night, I wouldn't need them," Jake returned. "See you around."

* * *

Jake felt like an idiot. He'd stormed out of the apartment he shared with Pepper, without grabbing anything. He had most of his personal information on his phone. At least he had that. His main computer system was at the little office he maintained to do his writing. He could still do his work. It might have been nice to have packed a toothbrush and a few clothes, at least clean underwear. He could buy some, but he'd still need a place to crash, and his office didn't even have a couch. It didn't have a shower either. His parents still kept a room for him, and there were a few things there. Explaining what happened would be awkward and painful, but going home seemed like his best option.


	265. Chapter 265

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 265

Despite the late hour, Castle and his son, Jake, bent over cups of coffee at the table in the breakfast room. "So, Pepper is going to L.A. whether you go with her or not," Rick recapitulated.

Jake scrubbed his hand over his stubble roughened race. "I guess so."

"I'm getting a feeling of déjà vu here," Rick confessed. "Twice over really. Alexis' mother, Meredith, went off to L.A. Of course, she had an affair with her director. I don't see that as your problem with Pepper. It was also more complicated for Meredith and me because we had your older sister. Then years later, before we were married, your mother left New York for a job in D.C.."

"So, what did you do?" Jake asked.

"You know about Meredith. We were divorced. She wasn't really interested in taking care of a child, so I got full custody of Alexis. I married again. You've heard about Gina before, too. That marriage didn't work either because I wasn't truly in love until I met your mother. Then when she wanted to leave New York, I couldn't conceive of living without her, so I proposed. We still had to work a lot of things out, just as we did when you kids were growing up, and she had to be away a lot, but we loved each other enough to do it. So that leaves you with a question. Do you love Pepper enough and does she love you enough, for the two of you to find a way to be together?"

Jake exhaled slowly and shook his head. "If you'd asked me yesterday, I wouldn't have had a doubt in my mind, but now I'm not sure of anything. Pepper thought I'd just tag along with her like a puppy. I could do that. I could move to L.A. with her. I'm just not sure I want to. I mean Dad, she treated me like I was nothing, like my partnership with Reese means nothing. I've never seen that side of her before. She says she loves me, but honestly, right now I don't see it. I know I don't feel it. I've gotten more understanding from Rumbles."

"Maybe you should sleep on it," Rick suggested. "It's easier to see things clearly when you've given your anger a chance to cool."

"Alright," Jake agreed. "I'm fried."

"Spare toothbrushes are under the bathroom sink," Castle advised, "but there's a child guard latch. I put protections in place for James."

A smile tweaked Jake's lips. "You and Mom are always watching out for all of us, Dad."

Castle held up an imaginary sword. "By the power of Numbskull!"

* * *

Zelda Klauss, head of the Cyber Crime Unit, looked up at the man fidgeting in front of her desk. "What's on your mind, Scootchie? Problem with Director Shaw's pet project? Can't find the money?"

"Oh, I found it alright," Scootchie replied. "At first it followed all the paths I would have expected; the Caymans, Belize, Switzerland. Then it ended up in a trust in the Cook Islands."

Zelda pursed her ample lips. "That is a problem. Half the agencies of the government are trying to break through trusts there, and the other half have given up trying."

"Exactly," Scootchie agreed. "To break into one, you have to go to the Cook Islands and go before one of their judges."

"And the laws were written by an American lawyer and specifically designed to frustrate our efforts," Zelda added. "That's it then. You can return to your regular assignment. There's nothing more we can do from here. I'll give Director Shaw a call. If she wants to retrieve money parked in a Cook trust, she's going to need one hell of a tow truck."

* * *

"I'm sorry Castle," Jordan Shaw apologized. "The guy you're looking for is not the first perpetrator of a crooked scheme to shelter their money in those Islands. There are over a trillion dollars stowed there, and almost no one has ever been able to get at any of it. You'd have a better chance of breaking into a U.S. mint. Not that I'm not recommending that."

"You said 'almost no one.' Who's succeeded?" Castle asked.

"It wasn't exactly a legal maneuver, Castle. In fact, if it had been done here, someone could have been subject to extortion charges. The details have never entirely emerged, but the story is that a honeypot trap was set for a Cook Island judge so that a petition was granted. The trust was broken, and then international laws were used to retrieve funds from accounts that were covered by the trust but deposited in the standard hiding places. I believe there was some real estate and a yacht involved as well."

"That is interesting - from a literary standpoint," Castle mused.

"Just leave it literary, Castle. If an American gets caught committing a crime down there, there's nothing our government can do to help. They don't give a damn about US interests or our status on the world stage."

"No one is going to get caught committing any crimes," Castle assured her.

Laying his phone on his desk, Castle looked up to see Kate standing in the doorway of his office. "Castle, I know that look. I've known that look since 2009. What are you planning?"

"I was just thinking about what Nikki and Jameson would have done - minus the blood and the guns," Castle replied.

"We are a lot of gray hair beyond playing Heat and Rook," Kate reminded him.

Castle rubbed his knee, which had stiffened as he'd sat at his desk. "I'm aware, occasionally painfully aware of that, Kate. I need to do some research. But if I can work out the right scenario, I think I can figure out who can pull off the miracle that Miranda and Reese need."

"I hope you know what you're doing."

"Yeah," Castle agreed. "So, do I."

* * *

"You want Mai and me to do what?" Jake Pullman asked.

"I want you to take a lovely, all expenses paid vacation to the beautiful and enchanting Cook Islands," Castle explained. "Then I want you to make friends with a certain judge and his wife. They both have a well-known interest in the martial arts, especially the wife. She'll love Mai. All you will have to do is essentially be yourselves and have a great time. I can take care of the rest."

"Castle, I would love a vacation, and Mai will too if she can leave her dojo for that long, but why do you want Mai and me to be in the Cook Islands, especially making nice with a judge?"

"It is all for an excellent cause. Actually, you'll be helping a number of excellent causes. I'm going to pull a con on a con artist, and you and Mai will be part of some very creative window dressing. If this works, it will open the door to retrieving some truly ill-gotten gains."

"I'll talk to Mai," Jake agreed.

* * *

Castle consulted the outline he'd set up on the screen in his office. If Mai and Jake agreed to his scheme, he would have to have everything else in place. That would include law enforcement, but they would be the last step. The dribbling out of the myth he wanted to spread would have to be done carefully and to the right people. He'd have to have the network working as soon as Jake and Mai had put on their show in the islands. He was anxious to help Miranda, and all the others who had been hurt, but he was also excited just to be back in the game. It had been a long time since he'd been this directly involved with an operation. This would be fun.


	266. Chapter 266

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 266

"You've been here a couple of days now son, have you worked out what you're going to do?" Jim Beckett asked his grandson.

Jake nodded and sighed. "I think I have. I was pretty sure that first night. But after all the time we've been together, I just didn't want to let go of Pepper that easily."

"So, you are breaking up with her?"

"We pretty much broke up already. I just have to make it official. I'll have to find another place to stay and move my stuff out."

"Not an easy thing to do in New York," Jim pointed out. "But the current tenants in my apartment are in a show that's going on tour, six states, nine months. They'll be moving out. You could stay there if you like."

"Grandpa, I can't afford to stay anywhere that size by myself. I get a nice stipend and a steady stream of income from the trust Dad set up, but at New York rates, that still wouldn't be enough."

"Whatever you can afford is fine," Jim assured him. "If I were just interested in money, I would have sold the place, but it has too much meaning to me to do that. And what do I need the money for anyway? I kick in a little around here, but your father is taking it just to save my pride. I know that. He doesn't need it. Neither does your mother. And I don't have to worry about you kids. Your father has taken care of that. In any case, we all know I won't be around much longer. Let me do something for you while I'm here. Go live in the apartment. Your grandmother's spirit may even inspire a story or two."

"It might at that," Jake considered, extending his hand. "It's a deal, Grandpa."

* * *

"You got a freelance job?" Reese asked as Miranda smiled in self-satisfaction.

"It's not that much," Miranda admitted. "The grandmother of one of the kids I've been working with is writing a book for her grandchildren. She needs someone to do the illustrations. Strictly a self-publishing operation, I don't think there will be more than a few copies made. But she's willing to pay. It will fill in the gap that losing my grant made in my income - for a few months, anyway. Then maybe I can find something else."

"Maybe you won't need to find something else," Reese mused. "Maybe your grant will be reinstated by then."

"I think you're dreaming, Reese," Miranda opined, "but I feel better. It makes me feel more secure knowing that I can take of myself."

"Unlike your mother," Reese added quietly.

"Yes," Miranda admitted, "but I don't want to bring things down by talking about that. We should celebrate. I hear that tonight McNulty's is offering all the wings you can eat. They won't know what they're getting into with you. If you brought your brother, they'd probably go into bankruptcy."

"Lucky for them Jake's got other things on his mind right now. And this is our celebration anyway." Reese raised an imaginary glass. "To enough wings to raise the roof."

* * *

Kate finished brushing her hair and climbed into bed next to Rick. "Too bad about Jake breaking up with Pepper."

"I'm not sure about that," Castle offered. "Kate, you once told me you were a one and done girl. At the time, you didn't know you were married to Rogan O'Leary, but the sentiment was real. It's still taken us a lot of effort to make something that's right, work. Something that's wrong…. Rick shook his head. I learned the hard way that it's not worth the blood, the sweat, or the tears. Meredith gave me Alexis. I'll always be grateful to her and even love her in a way, for that. But that relationship was doomed from the start. For both of us, being married was just playing a role. And with Gina, the sex was good, at least for a while, but that wasn't enough. There never was the kind of love that you and I have, in that relationship either. That Jake has realized that he and Pepper don't share a strong enough bond to stay together, is going to save him, and probably Pepper too, a lot of heartache. It's better to say hasta luego, before a judge and alimony become a factor."

"It's good that Jake will be moving into Dad's place too," Kate added. "He always wants to do what he can for the kids, and letting Jake have the apartment is going to give him a chance to do just that. So I guess you're right. It's all for the best. That doesn't mean it won't hurt."

"You're right," Castle agreed. "These things always do."

* * *

Jake Pullman and Mai's plane had landed on Rarotonga barely two hours before, but they were already pursuing their mission. The club that Judge Kauri Perata and his wife Ruth were known to frequent was on the beach, as was almost everything else. It boasted an enclosure where fights were staged, as well as a bar, an able kitchen, and accommodating wait staff, to serve the patrons who watched the combat from the comfort of their tables. Jake and Mai ordered drinks and appetizers while they observed the match that was taking place. Mai was interested more in the analysis than the enjoyment of the action. "My mid-level students could easily take down the guy who's supposed to be the champion," she noted with disgust. "He wouldn't last five minutes in a serious match."

"I don't think it's meant to be a serious match." Jake offered, "at least on the part of the management. From what I've seen so far, any of the betting going on is private. That means the house doesn't get a rake. They're making their money off the refreshments. This isn't much different than the big screen TVs in sports bars. The sparring just keeps people entertained and adding to their checks. Good thing Castle is picking up the tab. The drinks are almost as overpriced as they are in the tourist traps in midtown." He consulted the images on his phone and scanned the room. "I don't see Perata or his wife. Just how much of this can you take before you'll want to jump in there and start correcting their technique?"

"I'll be fine," Mai advised. "I'll just keep a mental list of all the mistakes I'll advise my students not to make."

Jake put a hand on her arm. "Good woman. Wait. I think that's the Peratas coming in now. It looks like the hostess is about to show them to a table. Damn! It's on the other side of the room. Making contact isn't going to be easy."

"It may not be that hard," Mai offered. "It depends on how much Ruth Perata drinks. Sooner or later she's going to want to go where most women hate going alone."

As with her masterful kicks, Mai was right on target. After two large fruity concoctions, Ruth Perata pushed away from her table and headed for the ladies' room. Mai followed. She did her best to offer a friendly smile as she and the judge's wife stood side by side at the faux marble sinks. "Exciting match," Ruth commented.

"Yes," Mai agreed. "But if the challenger could get his knee higher and flick his leg out faster, he'd be scoring a lot more points."

"You know martial arts?" Ruth inquired.

"I have my own studio," Mai answered, regarding the truth as both the simplest and most advantageous tack to take in gaining the woman's interest."

Ruth's eyes brightened, despite the limited motion Botox injections allowed her face. "Dear, you will have to join my husband and me at our table and tell us all about it."

"I'm here with my boyfriend," Mai informed her.

"Oh, does he practice the arts as well?"

"He does," Mai confirmed.

"Then by all means," Ruth requested. "Bring him along."


	267. Chapter 267

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 267

You must tell us all about your studio, Dear," Ruth Perata urged after Mai and Jake had joined the Peratas at their table.

Mai explained that it was in New York and that she specialized in teaching self-defense to women.

"Mai also participates in competitions," Jake added. "The first time I met her, she had me down on the mat before I could blink."

"I've taught him a few tricks since then," Mai pointed out.

"And what do you do for a living, Jake?" Judge Perata inquired.

"Security work, mostly. I contract with a detective agency. It was a natural route to follow when I left the military."

"A man and a woman of action. How exciting!" Ruth exclaimed. "You must have a lot of stories to tell."

Jake presented a wry smile. "I would, except that I'm not allowed to tell them. The agency I work for maintains strict confidentiality rules. But I've had my exciting moments. I've protected celebrities and political figures who've had attempts on their lives. I did have a child named after me after I saved his pregnant mother."

"I understand about confidentiality," Kauri Perata offered. "We both do. These Islands run on it. Whatever is protected here, is safe from the world, no matter how big or powerful the petitioner seeking to break one of our trusts is."

"Sounds like you're very proud of that," Jake noted.

"As proud as you are of protecting your clients," Kauri agreed. "It's also a practical matter. After the tourist trade, the special trusts we keep here are a major source of revenue. If the world were to lose confidence in them, it would seriously damage our economy."

"Yes, I can see how it would," Jake agreed.

"Enough of that!" Ruth interrupted. "I want to hear more about the competitions you two participate in. Mai, tell us all about the first time you beat your handsome hulk."

Jake groaned as Mai began her blow by blow narrative.

* * *

Miranda had been drawing for hours. That wasn't unusual, except that it was on top of all her usual work. Reese knew better than to suggest that she take a break, until she was ready, but decided to employ one of his father's favorite strategies for getting his mother to relax a little. Lily had always been more interested in cooking lessons from his parents than either he or his brother had been, but Reese had picked up a few things. He'd honed his skills sharing meal making responsibilities with Miranda and eventually asked the senior Castle to instruct him in the process of producing a secret recipe that had not only drawn his mother away from her work but had enchanted Miranda when she'd had dinner at the Castle castle. He stirred peanut butter into the sauce that surrounded the meat he'd browned and watched it instantly thicken as the sweet and savory scent rose into the air. He quickly added the rice noodles he'd prepared. If this dish didn't bring Miranda to the table, dinner would clearly be a lost cause.

His gambit succeeded. Miranda wandered in, pushing back the glasses that had slid down her nose and recapturing the hair that had slipped loose from the ponytail she wore at the nape of her neck. Reese quickly filled a couple of plates and put them on the small table in their apartment, before she could change her mind. "How are the illustrations going?" he inquired as Miranda downed three-quarters of a tumbler of iced tea.

"More slowly than I thought they would. I'm putting in a lot more detail than I would in the graphics I do for communication purposes, or even the ones I would do for graphic novels. Mrs. Souchet has described her characters to me in exquisite detail, from their whiskers to the patterns on their tails, and I want to make sure that what she sees on the page jibes with what she sees in her mind. That's harder than rendering what I imagine myself."

"Yes," Reese agreed. "I ran into that sometimes with my brother. If I drew the characters first and then he wrote the story, it was no problem, but if it was the other way around, my renderings didn't always match his vision."

"I would think that the two of you being twins would have made that easier," Miranda ventured."

"I think it probably did, but we're still very different people. I feel sorry for what he's going through with Pepper, but I never really understood what he saw in her in the first place. She's always been pretty self-absorbed."

"I think 'pretty' is the operative word there, or more like stunning," Miranda offered. 'When we were in high school, a lot of the boys were after her, and she knew it. Your brother must have been proud of beating out the competition."

"He was," Reese admitted. "And for a long time, it looked like it was going to work out. It's just a shame that it took him so long to figure out where he stood with her."

"Have you talked to him today? How's he doing?" Miranda asked.

"Better," Reese replied. "I think he'll be okay. It's mean, but I can't help hoping that Pepper falls on her face in L.A."

"It is mean," Miranda agreed, "but I feel that way too. I drew a villainess based on Pepper, once. She got taken down by a bunch of computer savvy geeks."

"Yes, the Scarlet Enchantress," Reese recalled. "I always thought she looked a little like Pepper. I don't think Jake ever saw that story. I'd suggest sending him a copy, but it might rub salt in the wound."

"Yeah, he might like to see it after he's found someone a lot nicer than Pepper," Miranda agreed.

"Mmm," Reese agreed. "I just hope he does find the right person."

* * *

"Castle," I think we may have a problem," Jake Pullman said as he saw the familiar face appear on the screen of his phone.

"Your hotel run out of clean towels?" Castle asked.

Jake couldn't help laughing. "No, but if you think Judge Perata is going to cave on something, you've miscalculated."

Castle put a hand over his heart. "I'm wounded. I'm not expecting the good judge to cave on anything. I didn't send you down there to spark corruption. Kate would have my head - or other body parts. So, have you and Mai managed to strike up a friendship with the noble jurist?"

"It looks that way. He and his wife, Ruth, invited us to their home for dinner tonight. Ruth said she'd have a surprise for us. As excited as she got watching the sparring at the club today, I'm wondering if she might be trying to set up a match of her own," Jake mused.

"That wouldn't be a problem, would it?" Castle asked.

"No. I think Mai might even like it. She's been wanting to hit someone ever since she saw the locals demonstrating a technique that wasn't up to her standards, earlier today. If she's presented with a genuine challenge, she'll enjoy it. She's been making sure I keep my skills up, too."

Castle raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure she has. Fine then. Just keep doing what you're doing and try to get some fun in while you're there. I meant it when I said this would be a vacation. Go to the beach, go snorkeling, spot some whales. Just keep being seen with the Peratas. I'll handle everything else on this end. Talk to you later."

Jake stared in puzzlement at his blank screen. He had no idea what Castle thought he'd be handling, but he'd take him at his word. It had been a while since he'd spent time underwater, and at least according to the promotional pamphlets in the lobby of his hotel, the local reefs were worth exploring. Underwater skills were one thing he and Mai had never discussed. It was as good a time to bring up the subject as any.


	268. Chapter 268

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 268

"Rick! We haven't seen you and Kate at one of these things in ages, Myrna Flagstaff," the biggest gossip on the on the charity circuit burbled.

Castle bowed slightly and lightly kissed the dowager's hand. "That is sadly true, Myrna, and I have missed your glowing presence. Alas, Kate has been busy in her practice of saving the world, one unfortunate victim at a time, and I have been buried in my research for a new book."

Myrna ran the tip of her tongue around her collagen enhanced lips. "A new book. How exciting! Investigating a new seamy side of the underbelly of society?"

"A new twist on an old side, actually," Castle replied, "the hiding of stolen funds. Surely you've heard about the recent series of unfortunate events?"

"It's practically all anyone on the circuit has discussed lately. It's cast a dark pall over every affair we've had since the travesty occurred," Myrna complained. "It's cut down on contributions too. Potential donors are afraid that their gifts will irretrievably vanish."

"Not an unjustified fear given the present state of affairs," Castle declared, "but I have reason to believe that is all about to change."

Myrna's eyes widened as she grasped Rick's arm. "You must tell me about it."

"Well," Rick whispered conspiratorially. "This is all very hush hush, but I know you will keep it to yourself. There is an undercover operation going on right now to breach the barriers preventing the return of the treasure so evilly obtained from so many of our philanthropic friends."

"That's just marvelous, Rick, just marvelous," Myrna gushed. "Yes, of course, I'll keep it to myself. Now I have other guests to greet. You and Kate enjoy your evening."

Kate and Rick accepted crystal flutes of champagne from a uniformed waiter and found a spot at a nearby linen covered table. "Just how long do you think it will be before Myrna passes on the hot tidbit she's just received?" Kate wondered.

"From the eager look on her face when she approached the Cushmans, she's already conveyed it," Castle concluded. "And the night is young. Pity they're not serving popcorn. It would be perfect to stuff in our mouths while observing the spectacle my plan unfolding. Those blini that are coming our way look pretty good, though. Not up to the level of Sarah Kasparov's offerings, but they'll keep the wolf from the door."

Kate's teeth briefly found her lip. "Castle, I'm not sure I'll ever get used to regarding something topped with caviar as keeping the wolf from the door."

Castle smiled and touched her cheek. "Katherine Beckett, forever the reverse snob. Fun fact, caviar used to be so cheap that it was given away in bars like peanuts. It was over-fishing that elevated its status. The way the influx of money has declined at these events, that's probably the cut rate stuff from lumpfish instead of sturgeon, anyway. All you need to feel guilty about is the effect of the salt content on your blood pressure, and you'd have to worry about that with popcorn too."

Kate sighed. The mini-pancakes did look wonderful.

* * *

Jake Pullman was not surprised to discover that the Peratas had a ring for sparring matches set up at their home. Possessing one wasn't much different than the installation of a putting green or tennis court by enthusiasts of less engaging sports. What was peculiar was that the first pair of opponents to face off there, wore nothing except speedo sized garments, similar to the mawashi that so minimally covered sumo wrestlers. Just in case Castle could use pictures for whatever operation he had in mind, Jake snapped some on his phone. He was hardly alone in that endeavor, so there was no reason for anyone to be suspicious about it. There was a certain practicality to the garb. The weather was more than warm enough, and the paucity of fabric gave a competitor little to grab. Still, Jake hadn't fought a competitive match in anything other than a gi or street clothes. He didn't know if Mai had either. He searched Mai's face. Her expression would have been impenetrable to most, but he could detect a level of disquietude. He wondered if he should think up an excuse to leave.

Mai seemed to have other ideas. When the next match was being set, she volunteered, stripping down to the bikini she wore under her light shift. Even more cell phones clicked as she took her place on the mat. Her opponent was young, well-muscled, and outweighed her by almost a hundred pounds. He was down and stunned in less than thirty seconds. Jake smirked. As impassive as Mai might have appeared to the rest of the crowd, he could read the satisfaction in the flash of her eyes. The battle was what she'd been waiting for ever since witnessing what she'd considered the pitiful display in the club. Mai inquired as to whether there was a worthier challenger available.

When no one stepped up, Ruth Perata suggested, her face flushed with arousal, that she'd like to see Mai and Jake go at it together. She offered Jake the type of garment the other men had worn. Despite the continually rising temperature, Jake was not crazy about doing combat with so little protection for his male accouterments. He'd grappled with Mai in less, but there had been no audience, and the purpose had not been combat. Still, chances were that doing what the natives did would help cement the nascent friendship with the Peratas, and that's what he and Mai were there to do. He accepted the glorified jock strap and changed in the staging area.

The last thing Mai wanted to do was hurt Jake, and she had no intention of doing so. She and Jake had staged many demonstrations at her studio. Given the goal of the instruction she gave her students, Jake was usually the one who ended up flat on his back. Some of the scenarios they'd acted out had been created on the spur of the moment, but many had been carefully choreographed. She planned to execute one of the latter. "Back alley," she whispered to Jake as they bowed to each other.

He gave an almost imperceptible bob of his head in acknowledgment. As Mai handily defeated the would-be mugger that Jake impersonated, Kauri Perata could see the excitement surrounding his wife, like a red-hot aura. It would be a very good night for both of them.

* * *

Sipping his coffee, Castle flicked through the photos that Jake Pullman had transmitted a couple of hours before. The Cook Islands were six hours behind the time in New York, so the detective would most likely have sent the images at the end of the previous night's entertainment. They weren't exactly prurient. Castle had seen people arrayed in much less on some of the nude beaches he'd visited in his earlier years. He imagined that Myrna Flagstaff might enjoy the pictures, but he was not inclined to pass them on. The air of mystery he was maintaining would make whatever details he cared to dribble out, both more enthralling and more credible. The close friendship of an unnamed judge and his wife, with an American couple willing to do anything for a thrill, would require little embellishment. Things were working out just fine.

* * *

"No, I don't want to go snorkeling," Mai declared.

Jake's eyebrows rose at her emphatic reaction. "Why not? The water is beautiful, and the wildlife that inhabits the reef is supposed to be magnificent." He caught a fleeting glimpse of an expression he'd never seen on her face before. "Wow! You're not afraid, are you? Since when are you afraid of anything?"

Mai turned away, staring at the floor. "You know my history. One thing I never had a chance to do was learn to swim."

"Yes. I suppose, given the circumstances, you wouldn't have," Jake considered. "But that shouldn't hold you back. I can teach you."

Mai shook her head doubtfully. "I'm recognizable to a lot of people around here now, Jake. So are you. If someone sees, it will…."

"Blow your Amazon image?" Jake finished. "Look, one of the selling points to tourists in these islands is a multitude of private lagoons. I'm sure we can find one where we won't be observed. And if we are spotted, we can just pretend that we're there for anything but swimming lessons, and request some privacy. You've taught me enough over the years. Let me return the favor."

Mai slowly turned back to him. "Okay. You're on."


	269. Chapter 269

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 269

A day had passed since the stream of chatter generated by Myrna Flagstaff had begun to evolve into a river of tweets and Facebook postings. It was time for Castle to take his next step. He carefully crafted a story he would release to his most faithful bloggers. It featured an exotic Asian American beauty and her hunky consort. They were recruited by the victims of a swindler to visit a tropical Island where ill-gotten gains had been secreted and were being protected by the local judiciary. A judge was seduced by the siren, while her handsome cohort distracted the wife. With evidence garnered from secretly planted video cameras, the judge was convinced to allow a law enforcement agency access to the stolen funds. The stolen money was returned to the hapless victims and confidence in the government's ability to protect the populace was restored.

Satisfied with himself after pressing "send," Castle looked in on Jake, who was preparing to make his move to Jim Beckett's now vacant apartment. With the help of Reese and a couple of friends, and using a rented truck, Jake had retrieved his clothes and belongings from the abode he had formerly shared with Pepper. He had more stuff than he'd thought, prompting an emergency expedition to acquire more boxes. The operation had lasted longer than expected, and Pepper had returned in the middle of it, but other than a few icily delivered words declaring that if Jake took anything that belonged to her, he'd be missing a few things of his own, she didn't interfere. Jake left behind anything that might cause a dispute, including almost all of the contents of the kitchen, but considered the loss worthwhile to avoid raising Pepper's ire.

Rick and Kate had offered some contributions to help their son fill out the furnishings needed both for practical purposes and to fill a space that was much larger than that which Jake had previously occupied. Jake accepted a few things from his parents, but Jim Beckett had already granted him access to his storage pod. While much of what it contained, exhibited the distinctive Martha Rodgers flair, which was not exactly Jake's style, the things would do until Jake could replace some pieces with a few more suited to his own personality.

Castle had insisted on hiring professional movers to help Jake set up his new domicile. He'd made enough moves in his younger days to appreciate how much time with a heating pad and doses of aspirin could be avoided by employing strong and experienced labor. Miranda had also offered her artistic eye to help Jake achieve the most harmonious arrangement of the contents of his new apartment, possible under the circumstances.

With all hands on deck, the operation took only a few hours, after which massive consumption of pizza was in order. When finally left alone to spend his first night in his domain, Jake surveyed his surroundings. He'd visited the apartment many times while his grandmother had been alive, but even though much of the furniture was now the same, at least temporarily, the feel was entirely different. It was empty, and it was lonely. It wasn't that he wanted Pepper back. That door was locked and barred, but the atmosphere of love that had inhabited this place and still reigned in his parent's home, was missing. He wondered if Grandpa would mind if he got a dog. He'd have to ask him. In the meantime, he flipped open his laptop to lose himself in the company of his characters.

* * *

Mai was enjoying the water more than she'd imagined. Jake had been an attentive teacher. She'd allowed him to support her body much longer than was necessary, while she became comfortable floating in the warm and startlingly blue water of a hidden lagoon. Then he'd taken her quickly and efficiently through the basics of swimming. They'd been interrupted only once, and a look from Jake had quickly sent their visitors off to look for a different spot. With the considerable strength Mai possessed in her arms and legs and her extraordinary prowess at kicking, swimming lessons were not difficult for her to learn. In fact, she was kicking herself, for not asking to be taught, long before. Through the water was much colder, New York boasted some great beaches, but the few times she'd visited them, she'd limited herself to remaining on the sand. She'd even turned down invitations the Castle beach house in the Hamptons.

She was catching up on enjoying the ocean, now. Her mastery of a snorkel had been swift, and she had joined Jake in exploring the shallow waters around a reef. An array of fish she couldn't begin to identify, swam in and out of brightly colored coral. While teeming with life, the undersea word was also a source of peace, something that in her world, had always been welcome. When she left the water to prepare for an outing with the Peratas that night, it was with regret.

* * *

Kate curled against Castle on the couch. They had deliberately picked an action movie that would fill the house with noise. Jake had not come back home for long, but it had been long enough so that in his absence, the house seemed too quiet. On the screen, Quirk Harmon, grandson of Lance Delorca, was continuing his grandfather's _Hard Kill_ legacy, handily defeating six attackers.

"Have you ever noticed how they never attack all at once?" Kate commented. "I mean, he does a good job taking on one or two of them, but why don't they all just charge and bury him?"

"Probably because the movie would be over in two minutes," Castle offered, "But I seem to remember Lance taking down quite a few real bad guys on his own."

"Except for him getting killed half an hour later by one woman, that worked out pretty well," Kate recalled.

"True," Castle acknowledged, "but he still provided me with many hours of high kicking adventure. The grand-kid isn't bad either, a little wet behind the ears."

"Let's face it, Castle, almost everyone looks a little wet behind the ears to us these days. I saw a picture of the new class graduating from the Police Academy, on the web this morning and they seemed like babies," Kate confessed. "I can't believe they're going to be out on the streets. And the new authors you have writing for Castle Press, they look like they should be in high school."

"One of them is in high school, Kate. He's only a year younger than I was when I started writing _In A Hail of Bullets_. He kind of reminds me of me at his age, not as good looking of course, but with talent ready to spew into the universe."

"Seems to me I remember a slightly older you spewing a whole lot more than talent."

"True," Castle admitted. "But as I recall, you enjoyed it."

"When I wasn't ready to kill you," Kate conceded. "But honestly, Castle, sometimes I wish that there were more mature characters, that I could relate to. It seems every time the players in a franchise pick up a few gray hairs; there's a reboot with a new generation of infants."

"You do have a point. The studio that's been putting out the Star Train movies has been complaining that the actor portraying Pirri is getting a little long in the tooth. They've been talking about getting a new one and starting over or maybe doing a prequel. I've been resisting. I think it would be better just to give him successors for the action scenes but keep him around to offer sage advice and counsel. I've even outlined a screenplay. With all my other work, I just haven't gotten much of it written."

"Maybe with your sage advice and counsel, Jake could help get it done," Kate suggested.

Castle nodded slowly and pressed a quick peck to her temple. "Maybe he could at that."


	270. Chapter 270

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 270

Grant Paisley pulled at the collar of his shirt as he read the article on the web. Damn! Trusts in the Cook Islands were supposed to be unbreakable. That was the whole idea. The IRS and the FBI had been fruitlessly trying to kick down that door for years, and now some judge was going let them in because of some kind of sex thing? He drew a deep breath. The internet was full of crap. The story might be meaningless. He could put some feelers out to check. He forgot exactly what the time difference was, but he knew that in Rarotonga it would still be the middle of the night. He'd wait to make the call, but it would be a long wait.

* * *

Jake stared at a blank screen. His father had helped him with his writing on more than one occasion, but until now it had never been the other way around. Even the possibility of having his name attached to a major motion picture presented a huge opportunity - if he didn't blow it. He was blowing it now. He couldn't even think of an opening sentence. Blockage had rarely been a problem for him. The images of characters that Reese or his other collaborators had drawn provided instant inspiration. He was familiar enough with the Star Train universe so that he shouldn't be having any trouble now, but he was.

He could recall his father telling him that when he was stuck, he liked to go somewhere for a different point of view, or at the very least do something that involved some action. Mom had usually dismissed those gambits as procrastination and Jake had tended to agree with her. Now he wasn't quite so sure. He wasn't getting anything done just sitting there. Since Grandpa had given him the go-ahead, there was one trip he'd had in mind making soon, no matter how his writing was going. Right now, seemed to be a perfect time.

* * *

Jake felt like he was being watched by a hundred eyes, all begging for love and attention. He had no idea what kind of dog he wanted. Cory had been unique and totally irreplaceable. Rumbles was a nice dog too, but in all likelihood, one of a kind. He hadn't wanted to go too small. He'd always thought big men walking tiny dogs looked ridiculous, but a little face staring up at him was suddenly irresistible. Like both of his parent's dog's, it was of no identifiable breed. It seemed to be mostly head, and the head was mostly eyes. It reminded him of the exaggerated way eyes were drawn in Manga, except that Japanese anime never had quite that much soul. It wasn't clear how much body was under the fur, and the legs were barely visible. He wasn't even sure the strange creature could be walked, but he could picture the small body curled up in his lap while he tried to create dialogue for his father's space-faring characters. He experienced unexpected comfort in that vision, and found himself signaling to a volunteer.

* * *

"How's Jake doing with the Star Train screenplay?" Kate asked as she and Rick assembled a salad for a late lunch.

Castle shrugged. "I haven't heard from him, but if he operates the way I do, if he's this quiet, it's because he isn't getting anywhere."

"Considering the phone calls I got from Gina at the precinct when you were ducking her; I believe that. Where were you hiding?"

"Usually at the loft. I just didn't always feel like taking Gina's calls. Did that happen a lot?" Castle asked. "I only remember you mentioning it once."

"For a while, after the two of you spent the summer in the Hamptons together, it was every couple of weeks. You had just done a book tour, so I think it was less about holding you to a deadline and more about marking her territory."

"I did ask you first, Kate. I think Gina knew she was my second choice. I was never any good at hiding how I felt about you."

"I wasn't any good at hiding how I felt about you either," Kate admitted. "Lanie was on me about it all the time. What the hell were we doing, Babe?"

Castle shook his head. "I don't know, but we've had a lot of time to make up for whatever it was. You were asking about Jake, though. Even with having the screenplay to work on, he's at loose ends now. That's the way it is before you meet the right person - or you aren't with them for whatever unfathomable reason. I've been there."

"So have I," Kate conceded. "I just hope it doesn't take him four years to get through it."

Castle noisily scraped off his cutting board. "So, do I."

* * *

Daisy Mishkin couldn't have been more surprised when the guy she'd been watching since he came in, signaled her over to Bartleby's cage. She'd expected him to go for a dog more his size, like a shepherd, or at least a shepherd mix. Wanting the fur ball that was Bartleby didn't fit with her imagined backstory for him. She was instantly even more curious than she'd been when she first saw the tall, broad shouldered frame, and she'd been pretty curious then. Maybe not exactly curious, more like turned on. She shouldn't have been. He wasn't her type. Guys who looked like that were usually jocks or ex-jocks who'd dated the head cheerleader. She had always been a proud member of the more nerdish crowd. She still was. Few people she knew had a comic collection that could rival hers, and she was constantly being teased by her family because her Star Train collectibles took up more room in her minuscule apartment than her bed did. A dog like Bartleby would be the only kind that would fit in her cramped quarters. She would have adopted him herself if the landlord didn't forbid pets. One of her neighbors had been threatened with eviction for keeping a goldfish.

Tall, broad, and mysterious waved to her again. Bartleby immediately licked her hand as she joined the potential pet parent. "He likes you," Jake observed.

"That's because I like him," Daisy responded. "Bartleby's my favorite. I hope you want to adopt him. I've been afraid his time would run out."

"Bartleby, like Bartleby the Scrivener by Melville?" Jake asked.

Daisy shrugged "I don't know. Bartleby was on his collar when he was found. He was at the side of an off-ramp like someone just dumped him. It was a miracle he wasn't run over. If you want him, you'll need to fill out some paperwork."

Jake gave Bartleby a final scratch behind the ears. "Lead the way."

* * *

Daisy scanned the contents of the clipboard Jake handed back to her. "Jake Castle. That's the same name as the writer of Purple Music Mistress. I just loved her!"

"I am the party guilty of writing PMM," Jake responded. "My brother Reese drew her first. She was based on our sister, Lily."

"Jake and Reese Castle! OMG!" Daisy squeaked. "That means that Richard Castle is your father! Star Train got me through at least half of my life."

"I'm sure Dad would be glad to hear about that," Jake responded. "Maybe when I come back to pick up Bartleby, we can have coffee. We can give my father a call."

Daisy could barely catch her breath. "Are you kidding me?"

"No," Jake replied. "Listen, if you don't like coffee, we can make it a chai, hot chocolate, or whatever you want. Is it a date?"

Daisy felt as if the floor had tilted under her feet. "Uh, yeah, sure. I'll see you then."

* * *

As soon as his butt hit the chair in front of what had been Jim Beckett's desk, in his apartment, Jake's fingers flew over his keyboard. When his stomach finally filed a protest, he checked the time. He'd been writing for eight hours straight. At least now he'd have something beside his father, to talk about with Daisy.


	271. Chapter 271

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 271

The news from Grant Paisley's contact in Rarotonga was not good. There were no rumors circulating about judges with hot mistresses, but there was one about a judge, his wife, and a very hot couple. Unfortunately, it was a judge with whom US law enforcement regularly, but so far unsuccessfully, filed petitions to break trusts. The man had always been seen as strange but beyond reproach. It appeared that might be changing. Grant couldn't take the chance. Everything he had, everything he'd managed to acquire from the many operations he'd so carefully orchestrated over the years, was at risk. Worse than that, if the money trail could be traced back to him, he wouldn't have to worry about depletion of his funds. Food, clothing, and shelter in a cell, would be provided for him by the state, most likely for the rest of his life. He needed to move his assets before any of that could happen. He could open up a trust in Nevis. It was an even smaller dot on the map than the Cook Islands, and he had no contact there, but his research indicated that the protections were just as strong. It would take a little time for his attorney to make it happen. He hoped he had that long.

* * *

Jordan Shaw wasn't sure she wanted to return Rick Castle's call. Since Scootchie had hit the brick wall of the Cook Islands, there was nothing she could do for Castle. He had hinted that he had a plan of his own. She couldn't imagine what he could do that could succeed where so many agencies of the US government had failed, but Castle had surprised her before. She pressed the callback icon on her list of messages, determined that her response would be polite but short and to the point. "Rick, I'm sorry, but the situation in the Cook Islands hasn't changed."

"Ah, but it may be about to," Castle asserted.

Jordan's eyes narrowed. "Castle, what have you been up to?"

"Nothing illegal, I assure you Jordan, or I wouldn't have called the director of the FBI. I've planted a few seeds of doubt in what I hope is fertile ground. When they sprout, I have reason to suspect that the trust we have both been concerned about will be dissolved. All I'm asking is that you have your people monitor the situation and be ready to move. Can you do that?"

"For how long, Rick? I have limited resources. I have to use them where they will be the most effective."

"Jordan," Castle pledged, "if it happens, it will happen soon."

Jordan tapped her fingernails against the surface of her desk. She wanted to recover the stolen charity money as much as Castle did. "Alright, I'll give it a couple of weeks, Rick."

"Jordan, you're the best FBI director ever!"

Jordan smiled and shook her head at the boyish enthusiasm that hadn't waned over the decades since Castle had gleefully played with her taser. "Rick, I appreciate the vote of confidence. Now, we'll just have to see what, if anything, actually breaks."

* * *

With Bartleby at their feet, Jake and Daisy sat on a bench in a pocket park, drinking the hot chocolate with extra marshmallows, Jake had procured from a nearby food truck. "What are you writing now, Jake," Daisy asked, "another graphic novel?"

"No, actually I'm working on a screenplay for a Star Train movie. It's based on something my father wants to do, but he has so many other projects going, he asked for my help."

A few drops of cocoa dribbled over Daisy's fingers as she leaned toward him. "That is so exciting! I'm sure your movie will be amazing."

Jake shrugged. "There may not even be a movie, at least not the one I'm working on. Dad doesn't like the direction the franchise wants to take, so we're doing the screenplay on spec. The film company may not accept it for production. Whatever happens, writing it is still great experience for me. I haven't worked before with the scripting software my Dad asked me to use. I'm learning a lot. His outline for the plot is great, but he's given me the freedom to go off on interesting tangents of my own. Hey, but listen, you know a lot about my family and the kind of work we do. I don't know anything about you except that you volunteer at the shelter and Bartleby thinks you're terrific."

"So, you asked me out because Bartleby likes me?" Daisy wondered.

"That was not the only reason. You have the most amazing eyes, deep and - compassionate. I've never seen anything like them before. They draw me in. But Cory, the dog my family had when I was growing up, was almost psychic. If he gave his seal of approval to a person, they were always okay. I learned to trust doggie judgment. Ugh! We're talking about me again. Tell me about Daisy Mishkin. Do you have a job?"

"I do," Daisy replied. "I work at Blackbeard's Cove, at least for now. I majored in Bio, and I want to be a vet, but I haven't been able to get into veterinary school."

"I've heard that's harder than getting into medical school," Jake offered.

"It is,"" Daisy confirmed. "But I'm going to keep trying. I'm taking supplementary courses and shadowing one of the vets at the shelter. I can fit my hours at the Cove around that."

"Blackbeard's Cove, isn't that a Pastafarian club?" Jake inquired. "Are you a Pastafarian? Some of my friends love celebrating Talk Like a Pirate Day, but I've never met a practicing Pastafarian."

Daisy laughed. "You still haven't. I haven't been touched by the Flying Spaghetti Monster's noodly appendage, but I like working at the club. It's not that much different than a con. The cosplay is terrific. The members are nice. They sometimes show up with parrots on their shoulders. There's one parrot who keeps saying, 'Remember to tip your server.' It's always a good night when that bird is around. I had to work on getting my 'Arghs' a little more guttural, and it's strange having a rubber dagger on my belt, but it's a good job. It keeps me going, and I'm even saving a little money - very little money - but it's better than a lot of people do in this city. I guess growing up the son of a bestselling author; you haven't had to worry much about things like that."

"You'd be surprised," Jake responded. "From what my father told me, he was pretty strapped growing up. He was the scholarship kid surrounded by a bunch of rich brats who threw his relative poverty in his face. He didn't want his kids to grow up like his tormentors. My mom was on the same page with him, about not spoiling us. I've never had a problem with the basics of food, clothing, or shelter. Neither have my brother or my sisters, but my parents always kept us on a pretty low allowance, and we had to earn it with chores. My dad's always been generous with what we needed, but we couldn't have something just because we wanted it. I have a trust, but it's more in line with rowing on Central Park Lake than buying a yacht. Reese, my sister Lily, my older sister Alexis, we've all worked hard to get our degrees and build our careers. Obviously, I'm still working on mine. I'm pretty much a regular person, even with a semi-famous father. Oh! I promised you we'd give him a call."

Daisy tucked a lock of dark hair behind her ear before it could find its way into stickiness of her cocoa cup. "You don't really have to do that."

"I promised," Jake declared, "and I always take my promises seriously." He pulled out his cell phone."


	272. Chapter 272

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 272

More cocoa sloshed over Daisy's fingers. "If he's that busy, maybe you shouldn't bother him."

"Dad always answers calls from all of us kids. He always has. He doesn't mind," Jake insisted. "Besides, I told him about you."

Daisy's eyes widened. "You did? Why?"

"Because I told him about Bartleby. I couldn't exactly leave you out of the conversation, and he's always interested in what Star Train fans have on their minds. He even takes suggestions sometimes," Jake added.

Daisy covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh God!"

Castle saw Jake's face appear on the screen of his phone. He'd been expecting the video call. He hadn't been sure whether his son was more excited about the dog or the girl, but he would have given a slight edge to the girl. Jake was on the rebound, which could spell trouble. On the other hand, his son hadn't picked up – he reached for the name for a second – Daisy, trolling in a bar. He hadn't been looking for another girlfriend or even a date, just canine companionship. He and Daisy had stumbled upon each other. That was a good sign. It was, after all, sort of the way he'd met Kate. Recovering from Gina, he hadn't been looking for another woman in his life, Kate just happened. That fact that Daisy was a Richard Castle fan wasn't worrisome. A geezer like him wouldn't be much of a distraction from a handsome young man like Jake. Even the most die-hard Castle fans had real relationships of some kind, even if it was just with other Castle fans. "Train advance!" Castle proclaimed, gesturing at the phone with two fingers.

"Train advance," Daisy repeated automatically, gesturing back.

Jake laughed. "Hi Dad, this is Daisy."

"Glad to meet you Daisy," Castle responded, "and Jake, where's the new addition to your household?" Jake swept the phone downwards so the camera could capture Bartleby. The dog barked with surprising volume for his size. Daisy picked him up. "Nice," Castle commented, "I can talk to both of Jake's new acquaintances at once. Bartleby, I don't suppose you've read any of my books?"

Daisy couldn't help giggling. "I don't think he's much of a reader, Mr. Castle, but he did like the Star Train theme when I hummed it for him."

"That's a start," Castle allowed. "Daisy, I don't know if my son has had the sense to ask you yet, would you like to come to a family Star Train dinner tomorrow night? The food will look like the stuff the passengers on the train are served, but it's non-lethal to humans. There are extra points for figuring out what's actually in it."

"That is," Jake jumped in, "if you're not working or taking a class."

Daisy could feel her stomach jumping into her throat. Jake had given her an easy out. She could beg off without offending Richard Castle. She couldn't decide if the idea of dinner with the Castles would be more intimidating or exhilarating. The truth was that she wasn't scheduled to work and she didn't have a class. She had an assignment to finish, but most of it was based on her observations at the shelter and it was mostly written in her head anyway. She could get it done on time. "Um sure." She made a gesture again. "Acknowledging on-board ingestion tomorrow, fourth cycle."

After dropping off Daisy at Blackbeard's Cove, Jake got his father back on the phone. "Dad, what Star Train family dinner? We've never had a Star Train family dinner before."

"I never said we had," Rick replied. "My description was entirely in the future tense. Daisy had cocoa all over her hand and looked about ready to jump out of her skin. I thought a Star Train dinner might help with the fangirl nerves. I do have a little experience with that. And last time I was at a con, one of the fans told me she had a Star Train dinner with her friends. It was mostly dyed mashed potatoes, but she said they had a great time. I think, in true Castle tradition, we can lift the concept to a higher level of culinary achievement. I already have some ideas. I called your brother. He and Miranda are coming. Miranda said she wants to help with the preparations. Lily and Akamai are coming with James, too. Your grandfather is looking forward to that. Your mother's also on board, so to speak. She has court all day tomorrow, but she'll be joining us afterward. She just warned me there'd be consequences if I made the food too disgusting. I have pledged to her that it will be a gustatory delight. You can even bring Bartleby. We can see if a bromance blossoms between him and Rumbles."

Jake shrugged. "It's not as if I have a choice. Okay Dad - and thanks."

Castle grinned. "You're welcome."

* * *

Zelda Klauss' door was closed. That was usually a signal for the members of the cyber unit to keep their distance, except in case of fire, flood, or impending death. Scootchie's news didn't fit into any of those categories, but he thought she'd want to hear it anyway. He hoped she'd wanted to hear it anyway, or his next assignment would be in a lower ring in computer hell. He knocked on the door. She glared at him as he pushed it open in response to her growl. "I'm sorry Director Klauss, but I've been monitoring the Cook Island transactions as Director Shaw ordered, and I got a hit that couldn't wait. The trust we've been watching has been opened, in preparation for transfer of assets to a trust in Nevis. We have a window of time to go after them but it's extremely narrow, maybe as short as half an hour."

Zelda immediately forgot the bureaucratic snafu that had destroyed her mood and her fingernails. "Intrusion excused. Thanks, Scootchie. I'll give Director Shaw a heads up right now."

* * *

After a trip to an upscale market that specialized in unusual fruits and vegetables, Castle was rejoicing in the kitchen. Not only would he be able to provide a magnificent spread for the evening's Star Train Dinner, but he'd just received a text from Jordan that there was a giant rat in his tropical trap. It would still take some work by lawyers and forensic accountants, but the process would be sped along by a hook-up to the bureau's newest quantum computer, and the stolen funds should find their way back to their rightful owners within a few months. Rick's major puzzle now was what to feed the dogs, in keeping with the theme of the evening. Eerily twisted purple carrots and gaily striped eggplant, no matter how succulently prepared, were unlikely to appeal to a canine palate. Perhaps Daisy would have an idea.

* * *

Grant Paisley would have fired his attorney, but the man had already quit. There was no money to pay him. All of Paisley's assets had been frozen and full records of all his transactions had been obtained. The FBI had offered him a lawyer for free. The kid wasn't bad for someone only two years out of law school, but Grant was afraid that even if he'd been able to hire Perry Mason, or his modern-day equivalent, it wouldn't have mattered. He knew what happened to people in his situation. He'd seen three freaking movies about Madoff. He just never thought he'd get caught. He was smarter than Madoff. He was smarter than everyone. Somehow, someone cheated. Someone always did. That was the only explanation.


	273. Chapter 273

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 273

Daisy was both disappointed and relieved that the Castle castle didn't look nearly as big up close as it had in the pictures she'd seen on the net. It blended in pretty well with the surrounding houses in Fieldston. Jake parked in the long driveway in front of the house, walked up to the front door, and rang the bell. "I have the door code," he explained, "but I know better than to barge in on my father when he's preparing for an event. I never know what he might be doing."

Reese opened the door. "Miranda and I got here early. She's in the kitchen with Da…."

Rumbles collided with Reese's legs, as the resident canine came to check out the unknown visitors he'd scented. He briefly regarded Bartleby before the two dogs rubbed muzzles, then he gazed up at Daisy, who had gently extended her hand to be sniffed. Rumbles promptly shoved his head beneath her fingers, to be petted. "I suppose that settles that," Jake observed. "Daisy and Bartleby have officially been welcomed into Rumbles' territory."

"Looks like," Reese agreed. "There's some chips and stuff for while we're waiting for dinner. The dip is purple, and the chips are green, but they taste normal. Lily, Akamai, and James should be here in a little while. Grandpa's taking a nap, but He'll be up the minute Lily brings James through the door. Mom's not back from court yet."

Daisy hesitantly sampled the purple dip and found it delicious. "Reese," Daisy said, "Jake tells me that you and your girlfriend Miranda are working on special graphics to help people who can't talk."

"Mm hmm," Jake confirmed. "That was Miranda's baby, really. She pulled me into it, but I'm really glad she did. When you see someone being able to get their message across with what you've created for them, it's a definite high."

"I was just wondering if you'd ever tried with animals," Daisy continued. "I've shown pictures of things to dogs in the shelter, and I'm sure they responded to some of them. It's so hard to know what they and some of the animals I work with need sometimes, and some species, especially of birds, are very visual."

"You know, it never even occurred to me to try anything with animals," Reese confessed. "When Miranda is finished helping my Dad, you should ask her if she's ever thought about it. It's an interesting idea. While we're waiting for dinner, we could try something with both dogs. Daisy, were you thinking about line drawings or something more complex? How about color?"

"The only animal that can't see color at all is a fish called a skate. Dogs are sensitive to blues and greens; you could try those with Rumbles and Bartleby. Maybe you could draw a picture of grass that they could touch, or bring to someone when they wanted to go out," Daisy suggested. "That could be helpful in an apartment building where the neighbors might complain about barking."

"Easy enough," Reese agreed. "I have a tablet with me with a drawing app. I could make a quick sketch on that, and we can present it to Bartleby and Rumbles and see if either of them shows any interest."

Daisy shook her head. "No. Dogs don't see screens the way humans do. They'd see a flicker. Can you do something on paper?"

"Yeah," Reese mused, "Miranda has materials in the car, that she uses for some of her work. I'll her ask if I can borrow some. I'll be right back."

When Reese was out of the room, Jake raised an eyebrow at Daisy. "How long has that idea been kicking around in your head?"

"I'm not sure," Daisy confided. I think at least since I've been at the shelter. Some of those animals are so tortured, and they have no way to tell you what's wrong or what they need. Even the vets can only make an educated guess. There are people working on computerized communication with dogs, but it's not there yet, and I'm not sure it ever will be. We know dogs respond to photographs of their owners. I'm just expanding on that idea.

* * *

After returning to New York, Mai had resumed a full class schedule, while Jake Pullman had taken a new assignment for RCI. He was protecting the girlfriend of an actor. RCI's client been receiving death threats from some fans who couldn't distinguish a story line from reality and were convinced that she interfering with an onscreen relationship that they imagined was genuine. The FBI had a file on the case, as did the N.Y.P.D., but they weren't offering the actress anything in the way of protection. The woman who was the target of the threats was beautiful and sexy; there was no doubt about that. At the beginning of her relationship with Jake, Mai might have found that disturbing. She no longer did. She had confidence that the woman was just another job to Jake. That had become especially true after the time Mai and Jake had spent in the Cook Islands together. Even when they had been with the Peratas, Jake had been attentive, and when they were alone together, Mai had experienced paradise. She had never pictured herself as fully committed to a man, but now the thought of a lifetime with Jake entered her thoughts at odd moments. The left side of the bed was irretrievably his and would never belong to anyone else. Even when he was away, she would sleep at the border of it, inhaling his scent. He'd always been aware of her independence. Their finances were still completely separate, except for what he kicked in for his share of the rent and household expenses. Even though they enjoyed the time they spent with their married friends like Reese and Eva Perkins, they'd never discussed marriage for themselves. After being in their present arrangement so long, Mai wasn't sure how to bring marriage up, or if she even could.

* * *

With some nostalgia, Reese quickly rendered the grass and trees in what had once been Cory's private domain and was now a playground for Rumbles. "We need a control for the experiment," Daisy decided. "Can you draw a picture of something Rumbles wouldn't care about or doesn't like?"

"How about a parking lot?" Jake suggested. "I walked Rumbles a few times while I was staying here and he wouldn't go near one that we went past. I don't know if it was the smell of the exhaust or what."

"If he's a rescue dog, he might have had an undocumented bad experience in a parking lot." Daisy considered. "Draw a parking lot as the second picture. As experimental design goes, what we're trying will still have a lot of holes, but it's a start." Reese quickly made a second drawing. Both were shown to Rumbles, who wagged his tail at the first one and walked away from the second. "Show him the grass again and tell him to find it," Daisy suggested. When Jake did as Daisy requested, Rumbles' response was to joyfully head for his doggie door.

"Hey, that's something!" Jake enthused.

"Maybe," Daisy allowed. "We'd need a lot more trials to be sure, and I wouldn't want to spoil Rumbles' fun right now. Let's try showing the pictures to Bartleby. He wouldn't know the yard, but he might recognize grass or the parking lot."

Bartleby glanced at the picture with grass, but was more interested in checking out the room for something more interesting to sniff. When Jake showed him the picture of the cars on asphalt, he immediately began to howl. Daisy picked the dog up to comfort him. "Wow, maybe that reminded him of being dumped at that side of the road."

"Or maybe something else happened to him," Jake pondered, "Something even worse than whatever might have happened to Rumbles in a parking lot. I wonder if we could find out."

"Sounds like you've inherited your parents' love of mysteries," Daisy observed.

Jake nodded. "Could be. Looks like Bartleby may have given both of us something new to explore."

Daisy silently hoped that Jake meant more than tracing Bartleby's history and developing animal picture languages.


	274. Chapter 274

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 274

Lily and Akamai arrived loaded down with whatever baby paraphernalia Rick and Kate didn't keep at the house. As Reese had predicted, Jim Beckett greeted them as soon as they were through the front door. Jake also introduced a breathless Daisy to his sister and her nuclear family. Kate made it home five minutes later. After perfunctory hellos to family and introductions to both Daisy and Bartleby, she went to seek out Rick in the kitchen. He was putting the finishing touches on a ham that he'd carved in the shape of an alien creature's head, while Miranda was crafting strips of meat intended for the dogs, to look like extraterrestrial worms. Kate retrieved a half-empty bottle of white wine from the refrigerator and poured herself a glass. "Tough day?" Castle asked. "I can open something nice in a red."

"This will be fine," Kate responded. "I drew Judge Thune again. I'll get over it. It looks like you've transferred your talent for carving pumpkins to something new. That is a scary looking beast."

"Maybe I could make one for you to take to court with you next time," Castle suggested.

Kate shook her head. "Thune would probably just see it as a member of his family. Looks like everyone we were expecting is here. Pity Alexis and her family are out of the country. Elizabeth would get a kick out of this."

"Yes, she would," Castle agreed, "But the Kasparov clan has been wanting to take a trip to the Ukraine and Russia for a long time. I'm glad they could finally get it in. From what I hear, Eva's been doing a good job filling in for Alexis at doling out assignments at RCI and Sarah Grace is following in her father's footsteps as a web whiz, so she's helping out while Alexis is gone, too."

"Looks like you and Miranda are pretty close to done in here," Kate noted.

"We are," Castle confirmed. "But you have time to finish your wine and put your feet up for a few minutes before we'll be ready to get the evening's festivities underway."

"I think I'll take you up on that," Kate agreed, and wandered back to their bedroom for a momentary respite. It didn't last long.

After placing his masterpiece on the table in the dining room, Castle used his phone to produce the strangely pitched chimes used to warn passengers that the Star Train was about to depart. Lily plunked James into his high chair, which had been wrapped in Mylar streamers for the occasion. The rest of the diners, including Kate, found places at the weirdly arrayed table. Jake gave Daisy a reassuring smile as he slid her chair in for her and took the seat next to her. The dogs were not allowed near the table, but Castle had set bowls with the sinuous treats Miranda had produced, at the normal doggie dining spot in the laundry room.

Castle loudly proclaimed, "Star Train Advance!" and gave Jim Beckett the honor of carving his edible work of alien art.

* * *

Jake Pullman sank into bed next to Mai. She stroked his darkening jawline. "You look exhausted."

"I am," he admitted. "There was a movie premier tonight and Kiki was there on Kirk Dion's arm. An army of his fans showed up. Most of them were fine, they just wanted Kirk to sign memorabilia or to take selfies with them. He was happy to do it. But there were a few women and even a couple of men who showed up carrying signs that said, 'The interloper must go!' or 'Breematt forever!' They were very loud and Kiki was shaking. Then one lady on a scooter tried to drive through the barriers at the red carpet. When security stopped her, it touched off a mini-riot and people started throwing things. After the movie was over, some of the more obnoxious Breematters came back, or they may have never left. Getting Kiki into the limo and out of there safely was like making it through an obstacle course. I got hit with a couple of apples. They're supposed to be significant on Kirk Dion's show. I don't know why. I've never watched the thing."

"I haven't either. Kirk Dion's character is supposed to be kind of a wimp," Mai offered.

"Well Kirk isn't. Even with me right there, he put himself between the fans and Kiki. Brave, but stupid. He could have gotten hurt. He and Kiki are going off to some secret tropical hideaway in a couple of days and I'll be off this job."

Mai smiled. "I hope their time in the sun does as much for them as it did for us."

"Mm," Jake agreed, gathering her against his side. "I hope so too."

* * *

Daisy was amazed at how much she'd eaten. She'd expected the meal to be fun, but not scrumptious. She barely could manage to fit in dessert, but Richard Castle had enlisted Jake's sister Lily to mold chocolate in the shapes of small alien creatures used as foodstuffs on the Star Train. Daisy was an unrepentant chocoholic and couldn't resist temptation. Some of Lily's creations had dangerous looking claws or stingers, but if Daisy closed her eyes, they were a fount of dark ecstasy. When dinner ended, the diners dragged their overfilled bodies to the living room, where Lily and Akamai played the music they'd composed for a Star Train movie. Daisy was seized with a sense of unreality. To actually hear the music that was a major theme of her life, provided in person by Lilaki, was something she had never thought she'd experience. The strangest thing about the performance was that it was completely casual. Akamai even stopped in the the middle of a song to take James when the boy was becoming too lively for his great grandfather's lap. To Jake and to Reese, Lily and Akamai's music was something they'd heard every day when they were growing up. Other than the love they obviously had for their sister, there was nothing special about experiencing it. The Castle family was just people; people who were mostly nerds like her. Any trepidation she'd felt about spending time with Jake, had vanished.

* * *

The Fun Time warehouse specialized in cheap, easily shippable items primarily imported from China. It carried everything from Hawaiian leis to kazoos, and prided itself on offering novelties that no other vendors carried. No one item was worth much, and the profit margins were slim, too slim to spend money on comprehensive security surveillance or traceable tags. Unfortunately, the warehouse inventory was experiencing steady shrinkage, and so was the company's bottom line. They'd asked for help from RCI in discovering what was becoming of their merchandise. Normally, RCI's rates would have been too high for Fun Time's budget, but Rick had enjoyed gracing friends and colleagues with such treasures as whistling yo-yos and glow in the dark slime over the years, and he'd asked Eva to cut the RCI's charges to the bone. Without Alexis around to dispute the blow to the quarter's profits, Jake Pullman and Reese Perkins had ended up on stakeout.

"So, what's happening with you and Mai?" Reese asked, biting into a tuna sub, the specialty of the nearest fast food outlet.

"Why?" Jake asked. "We're not having any problems."

"Are you sure?" Reese pressed. "Ever since you and Mai came back from the islands, you seem a little wistful or something. And when I came to pick you up, Mai had had that look that people get when there's something on the tip of their tongue that they're afraid to say. That freaked me out a little, because I didn't think Mai was afraid of anything."

"Everyone's afraid of something," Jake asserted, recalling Mai's reticence about learning to swim. "But I guess something has changed, at least for me. I'm thinking about the future more. I'm not sure I like the idea of Mai and me just living together, as much as I did. I want the relationship to go somewhere."

"Somewhere like to the altar?" Reese queried.

Jake shrugged. "I'm not sure. I need to think about it, and then I have to figure out how to talk to Mai. You know how damn independent she is."

"You better figure it out soon," Reese advised, 'or you won't be strolling down the aisle, you'll be hobbling."

Jake sighed and reached for a potato chip.


	275. Chapter 275

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 275

"Made any progress on what you're going to say to Mai?" Reese Perkins inquired, adjusting his large frame in the driver's seat of the car."

"Not really," Jake Pullman admitted.

"Then I have some intelligence for you," Reese offered. "Eva was commiserating with Mai about our nights away on this stakeout, yesterday, and Mai asked her how I proposed. I don't know what kind of a dose of island magic you two received, but your lady is thinking about marriage as much as you are."

"Eva told you Mai said that?" Jake asked.

"Not exactly. I was in the shower most of the time she and Eva were talking. Eva had the phone on speaker while she was making breakfast and I heard a little bit of the conversation when I came into the kitchen," Reese explained. "I wasn't trying to eavesdrop."

"Uh huh," Jake responded. "Mai would have my head, or something lower, if she thought I listened in on her conversations, especially with some of her students. I suspect that some of the experiences they've had that have brought them to study with Mai have been pretty brutal, like the reason Eva first came to your class. I've never known Mai to say a word about any of it."

"Eva never said anything about what Mai asked her, either, and I wasn't stupid enough to bring it up," Reese said. "But as long as I heard it, I thought you ought to know. If you're serious about building a real future with Mai, it's time to stop thinking and start acting."

Jake pointed at a shadow moving toward the warehouse. "Hey, I think there's some action going on now."

"I see," Reese acknowledged. "Whoa! It's hard to tell in the dark, but did whoever that is just do some kind of tumbling move to flip himself up the overhang of the door?"

"Yeah," Jake agreed, "and now he's scaling the side of the building like Spider-man. This looks like something Castle would dream up."

"There's a door from the roof, into the warehouse," Reese recalled. "Fun Time doesn't use the roof much. Occasionally they use the space to set up luau or party scenes, to take pictures for their catalog. There's a lock on it, but it's not hooked into the alarm system. That may be the way this guy plans to get in."

Jake grinned. "Then we should welcome him."

* * *

"Having any luck with the pictures Reese and Miranda drew for you?" Jake Castle asked Daisy over a large mushroom and banana pepper pizza.

"Very mixed results," Daisy admitted. "Some of the dogs are interested. Some of them won't even look at them. I'm thinking of adding another sense into the mix."

"Like sound?" Jake asked.

"Yeah, maybe," Daisy considered, "but so many of the dogs depend so much on their noses, I was thinking more like smell-o-vision. You know, a picture of grass that smells like grass or of dog poop that smells like dog poop."

Jake wrinkled his nose. "I don't know how popular that second one would be with the dogs' owners. How would you make something like that?"

"I've been looking into it," Daisy related. "There are essences for all kinds of things. There's technology to impregnate packing with subtle scents that make the products more attractive to consumers. But I don't know how I'd access chemicals like those or afford them if I could."

"Could you start by just rubbing things like grass or kibble on the drawings and see how that works?" Jake pondered. "If you get anywhere with scents like that, my father has a business relationship with a company that makes extracts of natural products. The whole partnership has a weird history. It goes back to a killer that he and mom put in jail, trying to poison him, when she got out. She was blackmailing a chemist to make the poison for her. Anyway, Dad helped the guy out. That chemist is retired now, but he still has a hand in running the company. If your 'paw and sniff' idea looks like it's going to pan out, Dad might be able to help you get what you need to go further with your project."

Daisy shook her head. "Your father has been so sweet to me already. Your whole family has. I wouldn't feel right about asking. But it might all be about nothing anyway. I can run more trials using your idea, and see what happens. Has anything come of the test we ran with the parking lot picture, the one that made Bartleby so upset? Have you discovered anything about his history?"

Jake sighed. "You put 'Bartleby' and 'dog' into Google, and you get about four hundred thousand results. Bartleby is not exactly in the top ten, but it's still a pretty popular dog name. I texted my sister Alexis for some ideas on how to narrow my search. She suggested I'd have more luck with some of the search engines Richard Castle Investigations uses, but they're subscription only, and I'd have to be at one of RCI's offices or use my father's tie-in. I haven't had much time to do that yet, but I will. I'm not just curious. When I walk him, I haven't been able to take him near a parking lot or anywhere where there's heavy traffic. That lets out most of the city. Fortunately, the neighborhood where my apartment is, has an area that's only open to pedestrians. There's a little park there. Bartleby likes it, but it does limit us. I'd love to know exactly what it is that bothers him. Then I'd know what to avoid. Have you heard about any other dogs who act like he does?"

"No, but we wouldn't see that kind of behavior in the shelter. I can ask the vets I work with if they've seen any cases like Bartleby's." Daisy suddenly shuddered.

"What's the matter?" Jake asked.

"I was just thinking. People do so many stupid and cruel things to train dogs - and other animals too. I was just wondering if someone out there was doing something like that to make Bartleby afraid of cars. Maybe they might be doing it to other dogs too. It would be horrible!"

Jake put his arms around her. "It would be, but you don't know that it's actually happening. Bartleby could just be an isolated incident. But if he isn't, as nauseating as the thought is, something that happened to a lot of dogs would be a lot easier to research than what happened to just one. If it would make you feel better, we could go now, and hook into the RCI system from my parents' house. My mom will be at her office or in court. My dad said he had a publisher's conference downtown, this week. We won't be bothering him either. The only ones at the house will be my grandfather and the aide that stays with him when my parents aren't around."

"Can we go work there just like that?" Daisy wondered. "It seems like an intrusion."

"I don't have the codes to get into any of the confidential areas of the RCI system, and my sister already gave me permission and passwords to get into the search engines. I'll call ahead. My grandfather will get a charge out of our doing the research at the house. He loves putting his hand to Castle family mysteries. He has some really good ideas sometimes too. And Bartleby and Rumbles can have a play date."

Daisy's eyes brightened. "You had me at Rumbles."


	276. Chapter 276

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 276

"So, the guy you and Jake caught was an acrobat?" Eva asked.

Reese Perkins nodded. "Acrobat, human fly. He grew up in a circus family, but now with most circuses out of business, they've switched to running the gaming concessions on Coney Island, at fairs, carnivals, fundraising events, that kind of thing. There's not much business there either, especially at this time of year. To make ends meet, he was stealing all those crappy prizes they hand out at the booths. There was press hanging around when we took him to the cops. The story might even be out on the web already. Somebody climbing up the side of a building to steal toys is just the sort of weird thing people like to tweet about." He pulled out his phone and did a quick google. "Yeah. It's out there. Looks like there's a campaign starting, to build a reality show about this guy. Hmm, maybe that will get his family the money they need."

"RCI's agreement with Fun Time is that they're going to pay the tab partly in merchandise," Eva said.

Reese laughed. "Rick should love that."

"He said most of the stuff wouldn't be safe around James. He's going to take a couple of the goofiest toys to play with himself, and then he thought the rest should be donated to Fill the Cracks for the older kids in after school care to enjoy," Eva reported.

"Sounds like everything will work out for the best," Reese said.

"There's something else on your mind," Eva observed.

"Just some stuff Jake and I were talking about. Secrets of the brotherhood, you know. I'm just hoping things work out for him. He's probably sleeping on it now."

"Which is what you should be doing," Eva pointed out. "Get some rest. I'll drop Lexi off at school before I go to RCI. You can make the pickup run, later."

Reese saluted. "Yes Ma'am."

* * *

"You look chipper this morning," Castle noted, as Jim Beckett took a seat at the table in the breakfast room.

"I had an interesting time working with Jake and Daisy, yesterday. They were looking for clues to Bartleby's behavior, sifting through articles about dogs. I suggested that they check on civil suits - harm done to dogs by improper training methods. They may have found something. There were two different suits relating to the death of dogs by carbon monoxide poisoning. They were a year apart, different plaintiffs, same defendant. The owners were awarded minor damages, and the judge recommended referring the cases for criminal prosecution on animal cruelty charges, but as far as we could find, neither of them was prosecuted. Katie, I think Jake is planning to call you about prosecutions sometime today. That's more in your arena than mine."

"I have contacts with animal rights groups that might like to get involved," Castle offered. "Their organizations were a couple of the charities that got ripped off by Grant Paisley. I'll give Jake a ring before I take off for to my conference today."

"Oh yeah, you conference," Kate recalled. "What fascinating things are happening in the publishing world?"

Castle grinned. "We're going to be working on producing companions to a new toy. A new toy and an old toy, actually. You know how you can scan images of objects and have a 3-D printer make them?"

I remember you staying up for twenty-four hours straight doing it after you got one," Kate replied.

"One must thoroughly explore the possibilities of any new technology," Castle returned. "Now we're looking at having digital files that are adjuncts to stories and books. The files can be fed into 3-D printers to produce objects from the stories. Manufacturers are already using that kind of tech to produce action figures and limited run collectibles, but this venture would be aimed more towards the devoted reader who could create universes of their own. It could work stupendously well with some aliens and artifacts from the Star Train universe."

"What's the other toy?" Jim Beckett asked.

"There's going to be a new box for holographic renderings of stories. The prototype has already been built. The reader will plug in a memory device that will come with a book, and see the whole world of the story laid out in front of them. I have mixed feelings about that one. I like to think of the reader using his or her imagination to fill in the details. Over the years the Castle faithful have come up with ideas that hadn't even sprung from my fertile brain. The industry is very excited about the holographic angle, but it will take a while for the systems to be commercialized and brought to market. There's also the complication that holographic files are too big to download, so even if someone orders the electronic version of the book, they'd have to have the holographic version shipped to them, or pick it up at a brick and mortar establishment. Who knows? 3-D renderings might be better than cronuts for bringing people back to bookstores. The new generation could be reacquainted with the heady scent of authors' labors forever preserved on the page. That would be something to celebrate."

"Especially if you're an author," Kate quipped.

* * *

Jake Pullman was trying his best to sleep, or at least rest. Despite his long night, it just wasn't happening. What Reese had told him about Mai's conversation with Eva, kept kicking around in his brain. Maybe Mai was as ready to move forward as he was. Or maybe Reese had missed the context of Mai's question. With years of surveillance experience, Reese was usually more astute than that, but anything was possible. Jake still couldn't figure out how to bring up the subject of marriage, with Mai. Anyway, to her, actions always spoke louder than words. He knew better than just to present her with a ring. He was sure she'd want to make her own choice. The problem was setting up a scenario in which that could take place. If there was anyone he knew, who had a talent for that kind of planning, it was Richard Castle. Maybe it was time to give the old man a call.

Castle was more than happy to slip out of a marketing seminar, to meet with his son's namesake. Jake had been mysterious about what he wanted to discuss, but that just made Castle even more enthusiastic to talk to him. They met at a coffee house, and Castle immediately observed that Jake was much in need of one of the baristas' offerings. "Too wired to sleep after nabbing the perpetrator of the great toy caper?" Castle asked. "Or is something else on your mind?"

"Different kind of caper," Jake replied, and quickly explained his problem.

"Mm," Castle mused. "I never worried about having any of my wives pick out their own ring, not even Kate, and I say this with endless love and respect for my spouse, she is about as stubborn as a woman could possibly be. But I see your point about Mai. Luring her into a jewelry emporium does present a conundrum, especially with the decline and fall of that fine American institution, the shopping mall. Purveyors of expensive baubles tend to be freestanding, or clustered into the diamond district downtown. Either way, a dead giveaway. Why not bring the jeweler to her? I know a guy. Max could show up at Mai's studio with an assortment of rings. You could consult with him about price range in advance. He usually does that sort of thing for celebrities whose pictures approaching a jewelry store would be all over the Twitterverse before they'd even get to propose. He's helped out a couple of acquaintances of mine, and I'm a pretty good customer. He'll be willing to do me a favor. I can set it up if you want."

"Thanks," Jake agreed. "I think that could work."


	277. Chapter 277

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 277

Kate hated to give any of her children bad news, but she picked up the phone to call her son. "Jake, I looked into the lack of prosecution of those animal cruelty cases. The level of proof required in a criminal case is higher than it is for a civil one. The A.D.A. just didn't have enough evidence to proceed. There were no witnesses, no video, and no solid evidence except the illness of the dogs, and no record could be established as to how that occurred. Some of the neighbors of the dog trainers involved speculated as to what happened, but none of that was admissible."

"What were the speculations?" Jake asked.

"The trainers had an LLC called Stay, with an exclamation point. Stay! owned a large garage, capable of housing multiple vehicles. The neighbors said they heard cars running and dogs barking and whimpering. They thought that the dogs might have been deliberately shut up in the garage with running cars, but no one had bothered to check it out. Since it was a dog training facility, barking and whimpering weren't regarded as significant. Without anyone actually seeing the dogs abused, a direct connection couldn't be established. The good news, if there is any, is that Stay! has folded its tents. The owners of the dogs they trained complained that their pets were so fearful and anxious afterward that the place got some horrendous reviews on animal blogs. It's possible that Bartleby's owner was one of Stay!'s last customers."

"When did they close down?" Jake asked.

"Two years ago."

"Then the timing wouldn't work out," Jake concluded. "Daisy says Bartleby is a young dog, just past being a puppy. And he wasn't found that long ago. Could Stay! have reopened under another name?"

It's certainly possible," Kate allowed. "The animal rights organizations your dad talked to are putting out some feelers to their members. If that sort of abuse is still going on, they may be able to pick up on it."

Jake shook his head grimly, blowing air through tight lips. "I hope so, Mom."

* * *

Max carefully considered the assortment of gems and settings to take on his mission. A journey to a martial arts studio would be a first for him. He'd carefully quizzed the potential groom, not only as to price range - definitely the low end for him, but manageable - but also as to the personality and preferences of the bride. Fortunately, as Rick Castle had informed him, the customer was a detective. His observation skills topped those of the average suitor, and he was able to give Max a pretty clear picture. The portrait was of a woman vibrant in all things, including her choice of colors. Along with diamonds, Max included rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and semi-precious stones."

When Mai returned from the outdoor market where she preferred to buy her vegetables, Jake was waiting in the living area of their apartment with a man she'd never met. He was small and slightly stooped, with a beak-like nose below the most startling blue eyes she'd ever seen. Jake swallowed, cleared his throat and swallowed again. "Mai, this is Max Glieb. He's here because I have something I need to ask you." Jake dropped to one knee on the Persian blue rug that partially covered the scarred hardwood floor. "Mai, you know that eloquence has never been my strong point. For a few moments, I thought about asking Rick Castle to write something for me. But this had to come from straight from my own heart, so I'm just going to say this. I love you. I can't even imagine being with any woman but you, so I'm asking you if you'll be my wife."

* * *

Daisy was considering a different track for her communication project. Dogs she'd tried her scented pictures out on had shown interest, especially in the smell of kibble. They'd also showed interest in the smell of kibble without the pictures. She might eventually go multimedia if she had the resources, but for the moment she was going to stick olfactory action. Two questions loomed. Which odors were associated with cars, and how would she get her hands on them and still be able to pay her rent? She decided to deal with the first question first.

"You want to smell my car?" Jake Castle repeated.

"Uh huh," Daisy confirmed. "I thought we could drive it around a little then park it like it would be if it were in a parking lot, like the picture that scared Bartleby. I already know what smelly chemicals would be in exhaust. It's been analyzed. But a lot of cars are electric. Yours is, isn't it?"

"Yeah, most cars coming off the line these days are. I think most drivers switched over when the carbon taxes went into effect."

"Right," Daisy agreed, "so if someone wanted to make a dog afraid of cars, the dog would smell something besides exhaust fumes. Humans don't have nearly the olfactory abilities dogs do, we're just not built for it, but I thought I'd see what I could sniff out, anyway. If I can smell something, for sure a dog could."

"Okay, if that's what you want to do," Jake agreed, "but how about if afterward, we breathe deeply of the aroma of some Chinese take-out?"

Daisy's stomach reminded her that she'd been so busy with the dogs, she hadn't eaten anything since a chocolate donut for breakfast. "Sounds great."

* * *

Usually the only time Mai looked down at Jake Pullman was when she'd thrown him to the mat in a sparring session or demonstration for her students. At none of those times had he appeared in the least unsteady. He did now. She knelt on the carpet in front of him and cupped his cheek. "I've gotten used to having you around too, but if we get married, the word obey will not occur anywhere in the ceremony, at least not in my half of the vows."

Jake couldn't help laughing, as the tension flowed from his body. "I would never even have considered it."

"Fine, we'll get married," Mai agreed, getting to her feet and pulling Jake up with her. "Now tell me who Max is."

Jake opened his mouth, but no explanations were necessary as Max opened the case he carried. "Your discerning husband to be, hoped that I'd be of service," Max said softly as Mai stared at the contents. She'd never thought much of diamonds. They'd always seemed to her to be more of a symbol of wealth than of passion. One other type of stone drew her, as the gold flecks with the deep blue depths caught the light. She touched it lightly. "This is a lapis lazuli, isn't it?"

"It is," Max confirmed, "treasured throughout the world and throughout the ages. Often thought to be imbued with magical or mystical powers."

"I know," Mai said. "I had a sensei who had an amulet made of one. He said it was believed to lend strength to the limbs - along with other things."

"Yes," Max agreed, his eyes sparkling with a knowing glint. "Lapis has traditionally been thought to induce a certain spark, particularly appropriate to wedded bliss." He presented a golden band awaiting its gem. "That stone would grace your hand beautifully in setting like this. I have my tools. I could set it for you now if you like."

Mai stroked her ring finger. The piece of jewelry would fill a space she'd never known was empty. She nodded at the expectant jeweler.


	278. Chapter 278

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 278

"What do you smell?" Jake asked, holding Bartleby within the comfort of his strong arms.

Daisy looked up from where she was sitting cross-legged on the pavement next to Jake's car. "Rubber. I smell the tires." She swiped her finger over the surface of the tire nearest to her and held it out to Bartleby. The dog whimpered and shrank against Jake's chest. Daisy quickly pulled her finger away and reached into her tote for a wipe to clean away the offending odor.

"Bartleby was sensitized to tires," Jake concluded. "That makes sense. He's comfortable inside the car. He's fine riding with us, in his harness. He just has problems with the outsides of cars. Maybe it's the sulfur or the other chemicals they add to the rubber to harden it up. I researched the process once for a superhero story I was writing, because it was involved with with the way he made his costume."

"Could be," Daisy agreed, "But it looks like it's the entire smell of the tires we'd have to worry about, not just one component. What they look like matters too, at least to Bartleby, or he wouldn't have howled at the picture. The idea might have been to train dogs not to chase cars or pee on them. I can understand a well-meaning dog parent wanting to have that done, just as a safety issue to keep their dog away from the street. But the way it was accomplished must have been horribly cruel."

"It should be pretty easy to do a search for dog trainers who advertise that they specialize in keeping dogs out of traffic," Jake mused. "We wouldn't even need the RCI system. But let's get our order from The Friendly Dragon, first. I'm starving."

"Yeah," Daisy admitted, "so am I. Bartleby should enjoy the trip to the restaurant. So far, at least, we haven't found a food aroma he doesn't love."

* * *

Jake Pullman had thought that figuring out how to propose would be hard, but wedding planning was worse. He'd expected that Mai would want to keep it simple, and she did - up to a point. She'd decided within seconds of having the ring on her finger, that Eva would be her matron of honor. For Jake to have Reese as his best man was a no-brainer. After a celebratory bout of love-making, there hadn't been time for much more discussion. Mai had a full schedule of classes, and Jake would be helping with demonstrations in a couple of them. It had stung a little when Mai had to take her ring off to work, but Jake could understand why she wouldn't want anything compromising her grip. He'd felt better when she put it back on as soon as the last class was dismissed.

During Mai's late-night conversation with Eva, a simple ceremony had quickly mushroomed to a more complex affair. Eva had pointed out that the guest list should include the whole extended family of RCI. Mai also wanted to add some of her longtime students. That necessitated finding a venue that would accommodate all the attendees. Then there were all the details associated with a reception. Jake had pictured the marriage taking place quickly, perhaps within a couple of weeks, but it looked like that would be impossible. He'd just have to do whatever chores he was assigned, and hang on for the ride.

* * *

Once the inquiries had gone out from the animal rights groups Castle had partnered with, a trickle of responses had quickly become a torrent. "I'm not sure that any of these will lead to whoever abused Bartleby," Castle mused over mid-afternoon coffee with Jim Beckett. "There seem to be a lot of people out there who call themselves trainers, but leave dogs in a lot worse condition than they started out."

"It wasn't a lot different doing class action suits involving human beings," Jim Beckett offered. "There are a lot of people out there who do a lot of harm to others. Sometimes it's because of greed. Sometimes it's just that famous road to hell paved with good intentions. Seems to me there was a scandal about a famous dog trainer who seemed to mean well, a few decades back. The man had millions of adherents from TV and his books, but his theories about dog behavior were just all wrong. There were a lot of dogs who were damaged, some people and property too. As I recall, there was a settlement, and the whole ugly affair was swept under the rug."

"Well, it looks like it, or its successors, didn't stay there," Castle observed. "But from the responses I'm hearing, if Daisy and Jake can figure out who did a number on Bartleby and any other dogs that were involved, this time, there are organizations willing to step in and clean the mess up for good. I'll do my best to winnow this deluge down to something manageable and pass it on to them."

"Let me give you a hand," Jim offered. "I spent decades going through reports and testimony much like this. I developed a nose for what's probative."

"Ah, one of Kate's favorite words," Castle noted. "Please, dig in. I can use the help, and I'm sure Jake and Daisy, not to mention the canine community, can as well. I want to send Jake my notes on what he's written so far on the Star Train script too. He's a good writer, better than good. Definitely a chip off the old blockhead. But with my current storyline, his youth may be a disadvantage. I've looked back at some of my own writing when I was his age, and shuddered a little about what I didn't grasp, just because I hadn't experienced it yet."

Oh, I understand that " Jim commiserated. "Youthful exuberance can accomplish a lot, sometimes change the world, but it helps to be able to recognize the difference between what actually needs fixing, and what ain't broke."

"You're right about that," Castle agreed. "God! We sound like a couple of old fogies!"

Jim took a sip of his favorite dark brew, black. "Rick, you may have a couple of decades to go yet, but I've earned the privilege."

Castle nodded and grinned.

* * *

Jake Pullman had another marriage to worry about, one that had already taken place. Kiki Joy and Kirk Dion were returning from their tropical getaway as husband and wife. The marriage had been performed on the down low, on a beach with just a few friends. Somehow the press had gotten wind of the union, and driven the couple from their retreat. They were returning to the mainland. They'd be arriving by private plane, information which so far had not found its way into the social media. They just need to make it safely from Teterboro to Kirk's New York apartment. Kirk lived on the top floor of a high rise on Central Park West. The building had its own security, and access to the elevators was strictly controlled. Jake would only have to make sure the couple was not harassed between the airport and their destination in the city.

It should have been an easy gig. It would have been an easy gig if it hadn't been for the pile up on I-78. People milled around on the highway while waiting for the police to untangle the jam, and someone spied Kirk and Joy through the window of their limo. To make things a little more fun for the commuters stuck in the mess, the couple had agreed to pose for pictures. Jake was keeping a careful eye on the crowd, but a woman emerged from nowhere, shouting obscenities and lunging at Kiki. To protect Kiki, Jake threw himself in front of her. The enraged fan raked his neck with her nails before he could subdue her.


	279. Chapter 279

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 279

Mai looked over at Jake. It was unusual for him to be asleep when she awoke. He was a habitual early riser, a holdover from his military training. In his accounting of his scuffle with a Breematter, he'd dismissed the occurrence as nothing. The raging fan had left some pretty ugly gouges behind, but Jake had assured Mai he'd often had much worse on a daily basis. She touched the tips of her fingers to the wounds. If anything, they looked worse than when she'd first seen them, and his skin was hot to the touch. It wasn't just heated around the scratches either. She could feel fevered waves emanating from his body. He tossed restlessly. "Jake," she whispered. His only response was a muted groan.

Mai almost never called a doctor. She was rarely ill and usually recovered quickly when she was. Inured to battle injuries and the hazards of his job, Jake rarely sought the help of the medical establishment either. Despite that, every instinct Mai had told her that Jake needed medical intervention, and he needed it quickly. She called 911.

* * *

Eva and Reese Perkins met Mai at the hospital. "What happened?" Eva asked. "When Jake reported in after the Kiki Joy job, he said everything was fine."

"That's what he told me too, but the doctors say he has an infection. They haven't figured out what kind of a bug it is yet. They put him on IV antibiotics, but so far he's not responding."

"How are you doing?" Eva asked. "Do you need anything?"

"No - yes!" Mai realized. "I'll need someone at my studio later to explain where I am to any of my students who show up for class. I can email and text a cancellation, but some of them don't check their messages, or can't. A couple of them work in air-gaped facilities."

"I'll take care of it," Reese promised.

"How about some tea?" Eva offered. "There's a Java Hut in the lobby. They have that herbal kind that you like."

The last thing Mai was thinking about was tea, but she knew her friend needed to do something. She wished there were something, anything more that she could do herself. "Yeah, tea would be good."

* * *

"I think I've found a match to the list you got from your dad," Daisy announced, bouncing out of her chair.

Bartleby barked expectantly.

"Who?" Jake Castle asked.

"Some guys who opened for business a couple of months after Stay! closed down. The company is called Safety First."

"An ironic name. My father would love that," Jake observed.

"Uh huh, the famous Richard Castle appreciation of irony," Daisy acknowledged. "Known to every true fan. But anyway, your dad found a long list of complaints about Safety First, and they've run whole ad campaigns about keeping dogs from being hit by cars. They even have a channel on YouTube with videos of dogs being run over." Daisy gave a little shiver. "It's gruesome."

"But obviously effective in attracting a clientele," Jake noted. "Is there a picture of their training facility?"

"It's half the landing page of their website. It's sickening that they'd be so proud of such a horror."

"In this case, their hubris may do them in. Copy the image to the pictures file," Jake instructed. We can print it out, and show it to Bartleby here, where he knows he's among friends. If he responds to it, we can be assured that we have our perpetrators."

"You sound like your father," Daisy observed.

"Yeah," Jake agreed. "I come by it honestly."

As Daisy cradled Bartleby in her arms, Jake showed him the picture of the Safety First building. An immediate whimper was enough for Jake to pull the image away, as Daisy nuzzled the furry head. "I guess we have our answer," Jake concluded.

"What do we do now?" Daisy wondered.

"My Mom would know," Jake replied, "but she's supposed to be in court all this week. I can't reach her there, and I'd hate to call her on a break. My grandfather might be able to tell us. We could go see him."

"Mm, spending more time with Rumbles would be good for Bartleby right now too," Daisy agreed.

"My Dad will also want to know what we've come up with," Jake added. "He's worked almost as hard on this as we have. I'll give him a call." He swiped the icon for Castle, and put the phone on speaker.

Jake was surprised that his father picked up on the first ring. When he was writing, it usually took him at least a few seconds to finish a word or a sentence. "Hey Dad! Daisy and I broke the case we've been working on."

"That's good," Castle answered distractedly.

"Is something wrong?" Jake asked. "Is it Grandpa?"

"No, your grandfather is doing pretty well. Unfortunately, your uncle Big Jake isn't. He's in the hospital. Eva called me. She and your uncle Big Reese are there with Mai. It's some kind of infection. It's bad. I was waiting to hear more news when you called."

"Oh, Daisy and I were going to come see you and Grandpa, but I should go to the hospital," Jake worried. "Uncle Big Jake has always said seeing me makes him feel good."

"Not now," Castle advised. "He won't even know you're there and Mai doesn't need the pressure of trying to be gracious to any more visitors. That's why I'm not there. You and Daisy can go ahead and come here. Talk to your grandfather about the case. He loves it. Then if there's any news about your Uncle Jake, we can both hear it." Daisy put her hand against the small of Jake's back and nodded. "Okay Dad, Daisy and I should make it to the house in about half an hour."

* * *

A doctor knocked softly on the door frame before entering the room where Mai was holding the hand of her unconscious fiancé, with Eva and Reese standing in silent support, on either side of her. "Ms. Warner, we have the results back from the lab. Mr. Pullman has been infected with a fungus. It's one that's usually found in unlicensed fingernail salons. It's very hard to treat, even on infections of the finger and toenails. In Mr. Pullman's case, it has entered his bloodstream."

"When that bitch scratched him," Mai hissed.

"Yes, it entered through the wounds on his neck," the doctor agreed. "There are only two antifungals that have been shown to have any effectiveness against this strain. We'll start with the one that is less likely to cause serious side effects, but both medications can be very hard on the body, especially the liver. If those side effects occur, we'll make every effort to ameliorate them, but Mr. Pullman may be in for a rough course of treatment."

Mai's fingers tightened around Jake's. Reese put a hand on her shoulder. "He'll get through this. He can handle anything. I've seen him do it"

Mai took a cleansing breath. "I know." She looked up at the doctor. "Just cure him."

"We will do everything we can," the doctor promised, and quietly left the room.

Mai gazed down at ring on her left hand, then pulled it off and wrapped Jake's fingers around it. "The blue fire is supposed to have healing powers. Maybe my sensei knew something the doctors don't."


	280. Chapter 280

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 280

I think Jake and Daisy may have uncovered enough information to present to a D.A.," Jim Beckett offered when Kate had returned the loft. "But my guess is it's going to take a lot of juice to get someone moving on the case."

"I can give Shumberg a call," Kate proposed. "He's a dog person. He and his wife have Samoyeds. They even built an air-conditioned enclosure for them for when New York has one of its crazy heat waves. And enough of Rick's friends are big enough party donors to merit a favor or two." She turned at the sound of Castle's footsteps. "Any more news about Big Jake?"

"Eva said his fever is coming down a bit. Apparently the doctors are guardedly optimistic," Castle reported.

"Is he conscious?" Jim asked.

"In and out. Mai is staying with him. When Reese went to her studio to explain the situation to her students, he picked up some things for her. He's going to be taking care of Lexi while Eva stays at the hospital with Mai. Eva will call us, and our Jake, if there's any change."

"Hell, of a thing to happen when two people are in the midst of planning their lives together," Jim declared.

Rick and Kate exchanged looks. "Things happen on the way to the altar," Castle said, recalling the obstacles he and Kate had faced before their marriage. "Jake and Mai will get past this. I can feel it. I wonder what happened to the woman who attacked him."

"At the very least she should have been charged with assault and battery," Kate replied. "And if she made threats against Kiki Joy, especially on the internet, she might be facing Federal charges too."

"I've had my share of over enthusiastic fans over the years," Rick mused, "but I can't fathom behavior like that."

Kate shrugged. "The world's full of disturbed people, Babe, You know that better than most."

* * *

Cilla Murphy couldn't understand why she had been arrested. She was only trying to put things right. Bree belonged with Matt. All of her friends on Twitter and Facebook knew that. It should have been obvious to the whole world. Kiki Joy was an evil interloper. How could Matt marry her?

All of Cilla's life, the world had been filled with people like Kiki. They looked beautiful, and everyone one liked them, but they were mean. They pushed people like Cilla into corners. The Kikis got the dates for the prom, and the Cilla's of the world had to serve them punch. It had never mattered how hard Cilla tried to make her hair look right, or how many babysitting jobs she took to buy clothes like the popular kids had, she was never accepted into their circle. Cilla's father had left a few days after she was born, but her mother was proud of how beautiful Cilla's older sister Angie was. Angie didn't have to earn money for nice outfits. Mother bought them for her. But when Cilla asked for something pretty, her mother had said it would be like putting lipstick on a pig. Then Angie would make oinking noises until Cilla ran in tears to her hiding place, in the basement of their apartment building. Everything had changed when Bree and Matt came into Cilla's life. She could remember the day perfectly, every moment of it. She had taken her tablet down to her refuge, where she could watch Princess Diaries for the hundredth time without being teased mercilessly by her sister. When she searched for her movie from the free video library in the cloud, an ad came up for The Hunters. Her heart stopped at the picture of Bree and Matt together. There was such love in their eyes, such promise, that she forgot all about watching Mia Thermopolis morph from a geek into a Genovian swan. She even allowed money to be drawn from her account to access The Hunters. From then on, she memorized every moment Bree and Matt spent together. She cried and cursed at the obstacles they had to face, but she always knew they would be forever. Her heart could not contain all the love she felt for the couple, so she'd shared it with the other Breematters. With them, she didn't have to worry about being pretty, or having the right clothes. Loving Bree and Matt bound them all together. The Breematters were there for her as she finished high school and as she earned her online college diploma. They supported her when she applied for her first job. They'd held onto each other when Bree and Matt had distractions from each other. Everything had always come out fine - until Kiki. As hard as she tried, Cilla couldn't look at Bree and Matt the same way anymore. Kiki had shattered her life and deserved to suffer for it. Cilla had just tried to do what was right.

* * *

Jake Pullman could hear Mai calling to him, and labored to open his eyes. It felt as if he'd been run over and then caught in a sandstorm. He fought against the grit to focus. The image of the woman leaning over him was his beacon back to the world. "Mai, what happened?"

"You got sick Jake, really sick from where that crazy lady scratched you. You're in the hospital."

Jake could feel something in his hand and shifted his still blurry gaze. The blue was unmistakable. "Why did you give me your ring? Did you change your mind about getting married?"

His lips were dry as she kissed them. "No. Never. It's just that the ring is the only piece of magic I had to help you."

"Put on again, please," He urged. Mai held out her hand for him to slip it back on her finger. "I want to get married."

"We will Jake. When you're well. Before you got sick, Eva and I were working on the planning as fast as we could." Mai pointed at Eva, who was standing near the foot of the bed. "We got it down to a couple of venues, and I picked out the colors and the invitations."

"No," Jake insisted. "I want to get married now." He turned to Eva. "Can you call Reese? And maybe Little Jake and anyone you can get from the Castle family or RCI. Hospitals have chaplains. There must be one around. Mai and I can do the paperwork to make it all official and have a party or something later." He turned back to Mai. "Everything almost fell apart, from one stupid crazy thing. Our whole lives can shift in a second. I just don't want to waste any more time."

Mai touched Jake's cheek. "Baby, you've still got a fever, and you have drugs in you. Are you sure you're thinking straight?"

"I've never been surer of anything in my life," Jake declared.

"Then we'll do it," Mai agreed.

* * *

Big Jake was in a wheelchair, with an IV still delivering medicine into his vein, but he was proudly in the groom's position in the chapel. Phone calls and texts had filled the place with most of the operatives from RCI. That included Alexis who had stepped off a plane from Russia just a couple of hours earlier and was sitting with Lexi, so Eva and Big Reese could stand up for the bride and groom. Some of Mai's long-time students had made it as well. Max Gleib had hurried across town with wedding bands. Jake Castle was there with Daisy. Reese Castle arrived with Miranda. Rick and Kate filled out the ranks. Kate had helped Jake and Mai put in an online application for a wedding license. Lily and Akamai came and brought a synthesizer to provide the music. The chaplain took her place with Big Reese and Big Jake. As strains of a bridal march filled the tiny sanctuary, the guests spontaneously stood as one. Eva walked slowly down the aisle. Mai followed, carrying flowers from the hospital gift shop.


	281. Chapter 281

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 281

Except for Jake's promise to Mai when he proposed, the couple had very little time before the ceremony to consider their vows. Still, they spoke them with total commitment. Mai began, bending down to slip a ring Max had brought, on Jake's finger. "I love you, Jake. I always will. I promise to always be your partner. What battles we fight, we will fight them together. We will hold each other up, and help each other up, whatever may happen, for all our days in this life."

Reese handed Jake the ring Max had brought for Mai. Jake's voice was raspy but steady. "Mai, I never pictured a life I would share with one woman. You changed all that. You have conquered so much. Your strength continues to amaze me, as does your kindness and support for the wounded who come through your door and emerge ready to face the world. I love you and I always will. I will be your partner; help you up, and be helped up, for all the days in this life."

As the chaplain pronounced them husband and wife, Jake pulled Mai into his lap for a kiss. When the guests began to file out of the chapel, Castle proclaimed an invitation to the Old Haunt for an evening of drinks on the house to celebrate the nuptials of Jake and Mai.

* * *

Late that night, Rick and Kate settled gratefully into the comfort of their bed. "Pretty amazing day," he offered. "As bleakly as it started out, I would have never expected how it ended."

"Our wedding was pretty unexpected too," Kate recalled.

"Yeah, but unfortunate as the circumstances were, we had had a dry run, so to speak. Our vows were written. We had the rings. We had the license. We had the beach house. We even knew the magistrate. It didn't take much, to call our family and get things together. Alexis had everything down to a science. With help from Eva and Reese, Mai and Jake managed everything in a couple of hours. The universe must have wanted them to be together - maybe all the universes - just like they wanted us to be together. Some things are just meant to be."

Kate snuggled contentedly into his shoulder. "I guess you're right, Castle."

* * *

Cilla's public defender, Zeke Brokaw, palmed his face. He was getting nowhere with his client. She just didn't understand that she'd done anything wrong. Not being able to understand the difference between right and wrong pretty much constituted the legal definition of insanity, but it could be a very hard case to make. It usually involved having a paid expert to counter the state's shrink. Money was something Cilla didn't have, or Zeke wouldn't be her lawyer in the first place. Somehow, he'd have to build sympathy for his client and enlist some decent pro bono help. For that, he would need the media. Zeke was usually more apt to duck the media than to avail himself of it. For most of his clients, a quiet deal with the D. A. would produce the best result he could hope for, but there were a couple of reporters he trusted to communicate the facts of a case honestly. For Cilla, that might be her only hope. As detached from reality as she was, he couldn't see her surviving the conditions in the women's facility at Rikers. She would be receiving a psych evaluation, but his experience told him that it was unlikely to benefit her. Prisons were full of cons with mental health problems, who received very little understanding and even less help. He signaled for the guard. Cilla had not been convicted of anything yet. There was hope.

* * *

It was the rare morning when Kate didn't have to be in court until later in the day. Castle perused the online version of The Ledger, while they shared cups of rich coffee brewed from Ahe Kahale's latest find. One story immediately caught his eye. "Kate, there's a thing here about the woman who attacked Big Jake."

"Are they throwing her behind bars so she can't hurt anyone else?" Kate questioned.

"According to this, it's a bit more complicated than that. Cilla really thinks that Kirk Dion is the character he plays on the show and that Kiki Joy is some vicious homewrecker who stole him away from his true love. The reporter is making a case that she belongs in a psychiatric treatment facility, not a prison cell."

Kate rolled her eyes. "The story was just planted by some lawyer trying to set up for an insanity defense. It's about all one could do. She's guilty. There was a crowd of witnesses, not to mention all the cell phone footage the bystanders shot because Kiki Joy and Kirk Dion were there. The doctors said it might take Big Jake months to recover fully, and if Mai hadn't called the paramedics when she did, he might have died. The woman belongs in prison."

"That sounds more like Kate Beckett the cop than Kate Beckett the civil rights attorney," Castle observed. "You really ought to read this for yourself. You might change your mind. Meanwhile, we have another celebration to consider, the happy ending to Bartleby's travails."

"Castle, thanks to Shumberg, I convinced the D.A, to bring charges against Safety First, but the litigation is going to take some time," Kate pointed out. "We don't know what the outcome will be."

"We know that several animal rights organizations and a number of dog lovers' publications and blogs have put out the word for dog owners to avoid the place like the plague it is. That's a start. But that's not the celebration I had in mind. On the strength of her work uncovering what happened to Bartleby and the other dogs Safety First abused, Daisy got a grant to pursue her communication project. She is going to combine the use of scents and pictures, although from what she and Jake told me, the pictures are as much for the owners as for the dogs or other animals, so the humans can visualize what's triggering a reaction in their furry friends. Daisy is really excited because a couple of the vets she works with told her that her project could be a huge help in getting her admitted to a veterinary school. That would be a dream come true for her."

"Um?" Kate responded absently. "Oh yeah, that's terrific for Daisy. I was just looking at that article about Cilla Murphy. You may have a point, Castle. I still think Cilla should pay a price for what she did to Big Jake, but if this isn't total BS, she definitely needs help. Conditions have been improving slowly, but mental illness is still a huge problem in the prison population. That is something I encounter with my clients. Many of them have a very poor grasp of what they did and have no capacity to defend themselves. More often than not, their previous attorneys didn't have the will or the resources to mount a proper defense or get them the help they needed. Cilla's case is just the tiny tip of a very big iceberg."

"Is Donna Quixote about to remount her steed?" Castle asked.

"I don't know, Castle, fighting the good fight case by case, is working for my clients and me right now. I'm not sure I'm the one to lead the next massive assault on the system, but I'm going to contact Zeke Brokaw, Cilla's lawyer. If he's the questing knight he seems to be; I might just play Sancha Panza on this one."


	282. Chapter 282

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 282

"I can't believe Kate Beckett is helping that bitch!" Mai exclaimed, pacing the floor of the apartment she and Jake shared. "And I don't understand why you're not more pissed off."

"I was," Jake admitted. "But then I looked into what she's really trying to accomplish. What Kate's doing isn't just about Cilla Murphy. She's leaving that case to some lawyer named Brokaw, who's leading this particular battle. She's looking at the contribution of mental illness to the commission of crimes and how it should be addressed. I think she may be right. I served with some guys who did some pretty horrendous things after the traumas they suffered in combat. Many of them didn't do very well when they returned the states either until the Veterans administration came through with some treatment for them. From what Kate has said, many prisoners can get treated if they have the flu, but not if their brains are fried. It doesn't make much sense. In a way, what she wants for the prisoners is not that much different from some of what you do for your students. You teach the ones who've been hurt how to control their fear and anger and take care of themselves."

None of my students have attacked my husband - unless I instructed them to," Mai argued.

"True enough," Jake allowed. "But as far as I can tell, your students still live in the real world. They don't see me as an enemy. If they did, they could do a lot worse than claw me. The people Kate is trying to help, are a lot more damaged. The Castle family has always been good to me and everyone at RCI. Hell, Mai! Kate, and Rick named one of their kids after me. They've been good to you too. I'm not about to turn on Kate now. I really hope you can find a way to live with what she's doing."

* * *

"Katie's gone already?" Jim Beckett asked, joining Castle at the breakfast table.

"Six o'clock this morning," Castle confirmed, passing a plate of fresh fruit across the table. "Even with Zeke Brokaw leading the charge, she's going hammer and tongs at the mental health project, and she's trying to fit the work around her obligations to her clients. Before she left, I made her a triple espresso to go."

Jim Beckett shook his head. "Sometimes she reminds me so much of her mother."

"Sometimes she reminds me of my mother," Castle confided "When she was really into a role, she'd be up at five in the morning vocalizing and running lines. It used to drive me crazy sometimes, but then so does Kate."

"I suppose the similarities speak to both of our taste in women," Jim offered.

"Excellent taste," Castle declared. "Kate said she'd be back for dinner or at least a late supper. Jake's coming over for a while today, and we're going to go over what he's done on the Star Train script. We're pretty close to a product we can pitch now, but there are still a couple of points we need to work out. He's bringing Bartleby, so Rumbles will have a good time. Anything interesting on your agenda?"

"I don't know if you'd call it interesting," Jim replied. "I have a doctor's appointment, another cardiac workup. One of the aides from the agency is going to be taking me later."

"Something wrong?" Castle asked.

Jim shrugged, "No more than the increasing ravages of time. I think my cardiologist is thoroughly surprised that I haven't reached my expiration date yet, so he keeps sniffing the milk carton."

Castle grimaced. "Let's hope he doesn't detect anything sour."

* * *

Daisy read the letter from the admissions office three times. She was actually being invited to attend veterinary school and a terrific one at that. They were even offering a scholarship. There was only one problem, it was the veterinary school at Cornell, in Ithaca, over a four-hour drive from New York City. That would mean being over four hours from Jake. And she didn't even have a car. She'd never needed one in the city. She could take a plane, but even with a scholarship, she'd have a hard enough time covering her expenses. The cost of airfare for more than a few trips a year would be beyond her means. She would be meeting Jake for a quick dinner before she went to her job at Blackbeard's Cove, and she had no idea what she'd say.

As soon as the server had taken their order, Daisy wordlessly handed her letter to Jake. A grin spread across his face as he read the contents, and he leaned across the table for a kiss. "Daisy, this is great! It's what you've been working so hard for. You'll be the best vet ever! You don't look overjoyed. What's wrong?"

"Jake, did you notice the part about Cornell? I mean if it were Columbia, everything would work out great. But you'll be in the city and I won't, we'll never see each other."

"Daisy, we can make it work. My mom spent a lot of time away from my dad, for years. They got through it," Jake declared.

"Jake, not to point out the obvious, but your parents are married."

Jake shrugged. "We can get married."

"Jake, are you proposing to me?" Daisy asked.

"Not very romantic, especially for a writer," Jake realized. "And I don't have a ring. I can take care of that later." He slid out of the booth and knelt on the floor. "Daisy Mishkin, will you marry me?"

"She reached down to touch his cheek. "I guess if I want to stay on the right side of Bartleby, I'd better."

Jumping to his feet, to a smattering of applause from nearby diners, Jake kissed her again, more deeply than the first time. Sliding back into his seat he leaned over the table, his forehead practically touching hers, while words flooded from his mouth. "We can get a place up in Ithaca. As my father has so often pointed out to me, writers can write anywhere. I can come into the city if I have to. Reese and Miranda can take Grandpa's apartment. They've been wanting a bigger place. I'm sure he won't mind. It will stay in the family. We'll need somewhere that will take Bartleby. That will take some looking. And I guess we'll have to plan the wedding unless you just want to go to City Hall. I mean, whatever makes you happy. We don't have time now to look for a ring. You want to go tomorrow, or are you busy all day at the shelter?"

"Jake, breathe," Daisy urged. "I won't be starting at Cornell until the next semester. We don't have to work out everything tonight. And I am supposed to be at the shelter tomorrow, and I'm working tomorrow night. We can go ring shopping this weekend, but we don't have to. Most of my best friends are more impressed by rawhide bones than by diamonds. Just knowing you want to marry me is enough."

"Yeah, but a ring will announce it to the world," Jake said, "and I don't need the rest of the men in the city looking at you like you're something to chew on. This weekend we are definitely going ring shopping."

* * *

"So, you and Daisy are getting married," Reese recapped when his brother called. "Wow. Miranda and I have been together so much longer; I always thought I'd take the plunge before you did. But then you've always been the one who leaps into the middle of everything, like Dad."

"That's true," Jake conceded, "but it worked out pretty well for him, at least with Mom."

"Mm," Reese responded distractedly. "Well good luck, and I'll talk to Miranda about the apartment."

A/N Yes, Cilla would be infected, but probably only her nails or fingertips, which Jake's doctor had pointed out wasn't that serious. That would be something for the health department to look into when the doctors reported Jake's infection and its origin. In New York City, there are regulations against unlicensed nail salons. Steps would be taken to close the place down. If you have a really good memory and read Life Goes On, you may recall that issue came up in passing when Kate was Public Advocate. Big Jake's problem was that he got the fungus in his bloodstream, a much deadlier matter.


	283. Chapter 283

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 283

Miranda's mouth dropped open. "Jake and Daisy are getting married? I didn't see that coming."

"I didn't either," Reese admitted. "But I didn't think Uncle Jake and Mai would ever get married either. I saw them as one of those couples who would live together forever, like Oprah and Stedman. But things happen. With Uncle Jake, it was getting sick, and with my brother, it was Daisy getting into vet school. But it started me thinking. I know that you've been working hard to build your graphic communication therapy career and that you want to make sure you can always take care of yourself, but you're there now, Miranda. You've arrived. You're a formidable and accomplished woman. You're not in the shadow of any man, including me. But we've been together since high school, and we're really good together. I can't even imagine being with anyone else."

"Reese, do you need graphics? What are you trying to say?

"I'm saying we could get married too."

Miranda sighed. "Reese, I know you and your brother are twins, but you are very different people. Just because he's getting married, doesn't mean you have to."

"This has nothing to do with Jake - well it does, but not the one who's my twin. Anything can happen, anytime. We saw that with Uncle Jake. He's one of the strongest people I know, but he could have died, just like that. Look, my brother said my grandfather okayed turning his apartment over to us. Grandpa loved the idea, really. It would be a great place to start a married life together. There's even room for kids if you want them. Miranda, there's not supposed to be a perfect time for anything, but for us, now would be about as perfect a time as we could get."

"Reese, I need some time to think about this," Miranda said.

"How long?" Reese asked.

"Long enough to talk to my mother."

Reese scuffed his feet against the scarred linoleum on the floor in their apartment. "Yeah. Fine."

* * *

Kate dropped her overstuffed tote bag, plopped onto the couch, and closed her eyes.

"I'd pull off your shoes for you," Castle said, "But I've been in front of a keyboard most of the day, and my back is too stiff to bend over that far. I put a roast in the crock-pot this morning though. You want some dinner?"

"When I get up the energy," Kate replied. "Dad's test results were supposed to be in today. Did he say anything about them?"

Rick shook his head. "I'm pretty sure he got them, because he was looking for his glasses so he could make out a text on his phone."

"I know what that's like," Kate said. "Some days I enlarge my font three times."

"Join the club," Castle commiserated. "But he didn't say anything after he read the thing. He just went to his room. He's been in there ever since."

"Why don't we set up dinner then?" Kate suggested, getting heavily to her feet. "Maybe I can coax him out for that, and get him to talk to us."

"Good idea," Rick agreed.

Rick's roast was fragrant with a coffee rub and fell apart when Jim touched it with his fork, but the patriarch's appetite was non-existent. "Dad, you're always getting on me for holding things back, tell us what's going on," Kate urged. "What did the doctor find?"

"Nothing that hasn't been going on for a while. My heart's been losing function for years now. You two know that. The medication has been keeping things at manageable levels, but its effectiveness has been declining. I'm not a good candidate for a transplant or an artificial heart. It would put too much stress on the other organs. What's happening is inevitable. My time is running out."

Kate reached out for her father's hand. "How long?"

"The doctor's not sure, since he thought I'd kick the bucket before this. He told me to make sure I had my affairs in order, but they have been for some time. I'll just have to take the days as they come. I'm hoping I'll get to watch Jake and Daisy get married. Knowing those two, Bartleby will probably be their ring bearer." Smiling, Jim scooped tender meat onto his fork. "That would be something to see."

* * *

Rhoda Pierson was surprised to see her daughter. Usually, Miranda's schedule was so busy, that Rhonda was lucky if they could meet for coffee once in a while, and Miranda always seemed uncomfortable when they did manage to get together. Miranda strode through the door of the Pierson's small but meticulously neat apartment. "Reese wants to get married."

"That's wonderful!" Rhonda exclaimed while noting the lack of a ring on her daughter's finger.

"Is it, Mother?" Miranda demanded. "Are you any happier for having married Dad?"

"Well of course I am. I have you."

Miranda shook her head. "People have kids without getting married. It happens all the time. I'm not even sure if I want kids, but Reese would be a great father, whether we're married or not. What's the point? What if you hadn't married Dad and had stayed in school and built a life and a career for yourself? Wouldn't you have been happier?"

"Maybe," Rhonda allowed. "I didn't so I'll never know. But Miranda, Reese isn't like your father. He's never tried to overshadow you or control you like your father's done with me. Reese is a talented man who doesn't need to keep anyone down to feel better about himself. You're a successful and independent young woman, and obviously, he loves you that way. So, if you want to spend your life with him, don't let what's happened between your father and me get in your way. You give so much to so many. You deserve all the happiness you can get. You just need to decide if being with Reese for the rest of your life is what will make you happy. If it is, don't let your father or me or anyone stop you. If you decide to marry Reese, I would be very proud to be the mother of the bride, and in his own way, I think your father will be proud too."

After leaving her mother, Miranda caught a train, then took a walk along Central Park West. It was one of her favorite places to wander. The impressive if spooky Dakota was across the street. The hexagonal pavers beneath her feet fascinated her. They fit together in perfect harmony. The area was a strange mingling of the denizens of the city. Only the rich and powerful could afford to be in residence in an edifice like the Dakota. The Castles could live there if they chose to. It was comforting to know that they didn't; that Reese hadn't been brought up with that kind of an eye to privilege. The Castles' neighborhood in Fieldston was upscale, but plenty of regular people also lived there. She gazed back at the trees behind the fence. The poorest New Yorker could still enjoy the beauty of the park, and so many other things about the city. She had, with and without Reese. But she'd always been happier with him. As well as she'd prepared herself to live a life independent of the support of a man, or anyone else, she couldn't imagine being complete without him. She headed for the 72nd Street subway station. She'd made up her mind.


	284. Chapter 284

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 284

Portable heaters and the blanket across his lap helped to ease the effects of the chill breeze off the ocean, but Jim Beckett would not have minded shivering a bit. He sat proudly in the front row of the chairs set up for the wedding. After much discussion, his grandsons had once again decided to do things in tandem. They would both be waiting at the altar when Miranda and Daisy came down the aisle. Their namesakes were serving as their best men, while the brides had chosen their mentors. For Daisy, it was a veterinarian who volunteered at the shelter and had been instrumental in procuring Daisy's invitation to attend Cornell Veterinary School. Miranda had chosen a therapist who had worked long years with aphasic children and had enthusiastically supported the graphics communication project. Daisy's parents had passed away some years before and Birch Pierson had declared himself unavailable, so both Daisy and Miranda would be coming down the aisle on Rick's arms. Rhonda Pierson was sitting next to Katie, who had taken her shopping for a dress perfect for a mother of the bride.

The rows of folding chairs which had been carefully arranged on the lush grounds of Castle's Hamptons house, were almost filled. The entire Castle clan was there. Lily sat with James in her lap while Akamai set up the music. The extended Kasparov family had come, filling out a large part of the guest list. Everyone from RCI was in attendance as well as a great many of the friends the brides and grooms had made at school. Self-driving transports had been rented to bring guests from the city to Long Island. The food for the reception, which would be held in a large white tent, had been catered by a family restaurant which had been frequently invaded by the Castles when Lily and the twins were growing up.

Jim heard the first bars of Bach's Concerto in E Major. As he had imagined, Bartleby came trotting down the white satin covered aisle with a small rose velvet bag affixed to his collar, and following a trail of strategically placed bacon bits. The matrons of honor followed, with a careful eye to the dog's progress, before Rick strode proudly with the brides. Daisy's matron of honor held Bartleby during the ceremony.

In honor of Jake's recent screenwriting success and Daisy's love of Star Train, their vows were inspired by the treks along the fold in space.

 _We are companions on a universal journey;_

 _Our love will reach across all dimensions,_

 _Lighting the darkness in a fusion driven blaze._

 _The forces that hold us together will never be disrupted by time or space,_

 _But will hold us in their immutable embrace as long as our life forces endure._

Reese and Miranda had penned their vows to reflect the evolution of their relationship.

 _We are strong in ourselves, but have chosen to be stronger together._

 _We will share our hopes, our dreams, our triumphs, and the ravages of life._

 _Our eyes, our hearts, and our minds will be open to each other, always,_

 _And we will create the saga of our lives together._

After the couples exchanged vows, simple gold bands were retrieved from Bartleby's bag, and slipped on unsteady fingers. The couples shared their first married kisses before the bridal party recessed to the upbeat rhythm of Sara Bareilles' "I Choose You."

The atmosphere in the tent was a joyous conglomeration of chaos. The music Lilakai provided was lively, encouraging even the children, including little James, to jump around with abandon on the portable dance floor. Jim enjoyed watching every minute of the celebration, and agreed reluctantly to rest inside the house, only after the brides and grooms had departed for their honeymoons.

As a wedding present, Castle had gifted Jake and Daisy with a trip to San Diego, to explore the zoo, the Wild Animal Park, and allow Daisy to meet with some of the men and women who devoted themselves to assuring the health and safety of the exotic species in their charge. Much to what Jim assumed would be Rumbles' delight, Bartleby would be staying in the familiar environs of the Fieldston house, while Jake and Daisy were gone. Miranda and Reese had opted to stay in the city, but Castle had sprung for a week-long stay in a five star hotel. Coincidentally, a graphics arts convention was being held a block from the hotel, which would allow them to pursue their passions, both professional and personal, as they wished.

* * *

It was almost midnight when Rick and Kate finally dragged themselves into their bed in Fieldston. Bartleby was sleeping against Rumbles' furry side and Kate had made sure that Jim was comfortably settled in his room. Kate's head sank into her pillow, but she was alert, reliving the day. "Except for Lily's wedding to Akamai, and the first time he held James, I don't think I've ever seen my father so happy."

"He wasn't when I finally married you," Rick noted. "After the fiasco of our first try, I think he had his doubts. After the bullshit theories about my disappearance hit the airwaves, a lot of people did, even our friends. I think your Aunt Theresa may have whispered a few unpleasant notions into his ear too. And after your mother was killed, you were all he had, until Mother barged her way into his affections. He'd come so close to losing you too, he was nervous about letting you go. This time around was different. He really wanted to see this wedding. I don't think he has any doubts about Reese and Miranda, or even Jake and Daisy, despite how fast they went from adopt a dog to adopt a future. None of our children picked mates as mismatched as we seemed to be. But then before we were married, your father never saw us build theory together - the Castle Beckett mind meld. We've had a chance to watch that kind of thunderbolt strike all our kids, and it has been glorious to behold."

"Are you going to miss having Jake around? You two became even closer while you were working on that screenplay together."

"Jake and I may work together again. He's already got a contract for another project that he'll be writing while Daisy is pursuing her studies, but if the movie we wrote together is as much of a hit as the previous Star Train movies have been, there will be another one. In any case, he has built the tools for his own success. He and Reese may still collaborate as well, even if Reese's bent is more toward the therapeutic than straight entertainment. They're not mutually exclusive. Pepper managed to ride that pony for a while. And Daisy won't be at Cornell forever. Elizabeth has a project she wants me to look into, too. The Castle genes continue to infuse another generation. And the lack of them can cause a spectacular flame out. Did you see how Pepper fared with the last short she made? She couldn't get it accepted at a single film festival. I saw a write-up about it, saying that the promise she'd shown earlier, was entirely unfulfilled. Wonder how that could have happened?"

Kate batted a hand against his arm. "Shouldn't we be above gloating about the poor girl's spectacular failure?"

"Then why are you grinning?" Castle asked. "You look like the Cheshire Cat, with your teeth shining out of the dark. A cat that just lapped up some very rich cream. But as painful as it was for Jake, if Pepper hadn't run off on him, he never would have met Daisy, so all's well that ends well, except maybe for Pepper. She didn't appreciate the Castle touch until it was too late."

Kate snuggled into the haven of her husband's side. "Her loss."


	285. Chapter 285

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 285

"When's the vote?" Castle asked as he and Kate sipped at the red wine he'd opened to breathe when she'd texted that she was coming home from her office.

"Tomorrow, if the whip can corral the votes," she answered. "It's going to be close. Zeke has worked so hard for this."

"So, have you," Castle interjected.

"But he's been the point of the spear. I still know the power brokers, and I brought pressure to bear when I could, but he's done all the heavy lifting."

"And the results have been impressive, making it mandatory for the state to pay for a second psychiatric evaluation if the defense requests it, and allocating additional funds for mental health treatment of those already serving time."

"It's a start," Kate acknowledged, "but it hasn't passed yet. And even if it does, making sure it's implemented will be an even harder job. There are still a huge number of public servants who don't believe in spending money to serve that particular segment of the public. Even with the law in place, they'll still try to keep a death grip on the purse strings. This will be an ongoing fight."

"And I know a woman who'll go to the mat for her clients every time."

"Yeah, but Castle, it takes a lot more than one woman, and this one is beginning to get mat burns."

"Something is on your mind besides passage of a law," Castle guessed. "What are you thinking?"

"I have an idea, but I'm still chewing on it," Kate replied.

"Well let me know if you need another masticator," Castle offered.

* * *

Kate, Rick, and Zeke Brokaw raised their glasses at a booth in the Old Haunt. To victories, if slim ones," Castle proclaimed.

"Zeke, don't you have something else to celebrate?" Kate inquired.

Castle raised an eyebrow. "More good news?"

Zeke stared at the surface of his Irish whiskey as if expecting a revelation. "My wife and I are expecting a baby."

"Good news indeed," Castle said.

"It would be better news if we could afford it," Zeke admitted. "The rewards of public service are many, but not monetary, and I'm still paying off my loans from law school."

"You could write a book for Castle Press on your heroic efforts on behalf of mental health," Rick suggested. "With the amount of publicity already attached to the cause, you could earn some decent royalties, at least enough to pay for diapers."

"Thanks. But with my caseload, and especially continuing to fight this battle, I just don't have the time," Zeke replied. "And putting out a book might actually hurt us if it looked like I was using the cause for financial gain."

"The other side could spin it that way." Kate agreed, "But an idea has been kicking around in my head that might work. You've done an incredible job, Zeke. I am beyond impressed. Join my firm as an associate. You'd be working the same kinds of cases, but your salary would be higher, enough to support the growth of your family. And I can sure as hell use the help."

"I can testify to that," Castle said. "My wife is the most formidable of women, but worthy teammates have always contributed to her success. And I wouldn't mind seeing her occasionally while it's still light out."

"Think about it, Zeke," Kate urged.

"I will," Zeke promised, "Thanks."

Castle clapped his hands together. "Good! Now let's get some of what I've been told are the specialties of my new chef. I've heard the fried pickles are to die for."

"I think the exact description was that they can kill you," Kate put in.

Castle shrugged. "At least we can die happy."

A boom sounded from the kitchen, vibrating through the floors and sloshing the liquid in the glasses. Smoke began to filter into the room and alarms screeched. "Get everyone out," Castle shouted. "I need to check out what happened in the kitchen. Someone could be down in there."

"Babe, no!" Kate exclaimed. "You breathe the smoke in there, you won't be able to help yourself, let alone anyone else. There's a fire station three blocks away. They'll be here in a minute with breathing gear."

"Someone in there might not last a minute," Castle argued running toward the kitchen. He was pushed back as flames erupted through the door.

Sirens wailed, their pitch rising as they approached. "You can't get in there now," Kate insisted. "Let's get these people out, so the firefighters can do their jobs."

* * *

Castle stood, with Kate's arm around him, until the paramedics had departed and the last fire truck was gone. He gazed at the charred skeleton, all that was left of the boozy emporium that had played such a role in the history of New York and his own life. "At least no one died, Castle," Kate said. "The paramedics said the cook will make it. He was lucky he was knocked to the floor where there was some breathable air, and his burns aren't too extensive."

"Thank God for that, but Kate, I don't understand what happened. Everything in that kitchen was inspected and up to code - better than code. Alan Masters trained the guy who checked it all out. That kitchen was supposed to be as safe as a workplace could be."

"Accidents happen. The fire department investigator will figure it out." Kate massaged his back. "You can rebuild."

Castle shook his head as his shoulders slumped. "It wouldn't be the same, Kate. It wouldn't be where I wrote my first book. It wouldn't be where we found Jimmy Walker's hidden treasure, or where our family celebrated and mourned. It would just be a building, meaningless steel, wood, and glass."

"Babe, you shouldn't think about that anymore tonight," Kate counseled, 'let's go home. Things may look better in the morning, and I want to check on Dad. His aide is with him but…."

"Yeah, I know," Castle agreed. "Let's get a cab."

* * *

Jim Beckett was sleeping peacefully under the watchful eye of his aide. Rumbles was curled up on the floor next to Jim's bed. The dog immediately awoke as Rick and Kate approached the room, and pushed his head against Castle's hand. Kate nodded to the aide. "Rumbles can smell the smoke on us," Kate whispered to Rick. "We shouldn't expose Dad to it." Castle wordlessly slipped out of the room, and both Kate and Rumbles followed. Castle ran his fingers through the fur on the dog's head. "He can smell more than smoke," he asserted. "He can smell disaster."

"Either way, we should both grab showers," Kate insisted. "We could do it together. It might make you feel better."

Castle regarded her quizzically. "Kate, we haven't done that in years."

"Well then maybe it's time we did," Kate suggested. "Anyway, we can't get into a clean bed like this."

"I doubt I'll sleep anyway," Castle said.

"Then how about a hot shower, warm towels, those really soft pajamas you love, and some warm brandy?" Kate proposed. "Then maybe you'll at least be able to rest for a while."

"Alright," Castle acquiesced. He appreciated what Kate was trying to do, and if nothing else, the brandy would help knock him out. At that moment, a few hours of oblivion would be welcome.


	286. Chapter 286

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 286

"What did the fire investigator say?" Kate asked as Castle put down the phone.

"He said a gas hose fitting came loose and the flames on the stove top ignited the escaping gas. It doesn't make sense, Kate. Those fittings were all new. Everything was when I revamped the kitchen. And the certifications were all checked. It shouldn't have happened."

"Did the investigator have any idea why it did?" Kate questioned.

"He found a piece of the hose and he thought that it might have been out of tolerance, maybe just enough to come loose, but he couldn't be sure. It might have expanded in the fire."

"Expansion in the fire wouldn't have caused it to come loose in the first place." Jim Beckett observed. He slapped his hand on the table. "Manufacturers don't make just one gas hose. They make huge lots of them. If one caused a fire in your place, there might have been others. And the fires might have been passed off as accidental, like your inspector may do. You should look into it, and if the hoses really were out of tolerance, then the certifications were phonied up. You should sue the bastards for all they're worth. Everyone involved should, especially your injured cook. This kind of thing used to be right in my wheelhouse. I want in."

"Dad, are you sure you're up to it?" Kate asked.

"Better than sitting around waiting for the grim reaper," Jim declared. "When I go, I want to go out fighting."

"I'll hook into the RCI system and run a search for similar fires," Castle decided. "Lanie and Alan have been traveling, but if they're back in town, I want Alan to weigh in on this too. And I want to get Sergei involved. If this was something other than a horrible accident, I don't want to give any vipers a chance to slither out of paying for it."

* * *

Alan Masters walked gingerly through the remains of the Old Haunt, shaking his head. "It is a crying shame, Rick. No doubt about that. Let's take a look at what's left of the kitchen. Do you have the pictures of that gas hose?"

"On my phone." Castle replied, "but I have the whole report file on my computer at home. We can throw the images up on the screen, and you can look pixel by pixel if you want to. Sergei requested the original piece of the hose, and he's checking it out at the CSU lab."

"Then he can do a better job with that than I can," Alan said. "I'll just check what I can while I'm here.

Castle put a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks, Buddy."

"No problem. If someone I trained slipped up, I want to know about it. And if someone is doing something that's going to make buildings blow up, it would deny my life's work to let it go on. Besides, with Lanie's friendship with Kate, if I didn't help you out…."

"Uh huh, and the couch gets harder on the bones as you get older."

* * *

"Damn shame about The Old Haunt burning down," Jake Pullman said, "especially in the middle of Kate celebrating her success with her work for mental health."

"It is," Mai agreed, "I still can't feel sorry for Cilla Murphy, after what she did to you, but I'm beginning to understand why Kate is doing what she's doing. Is RCI going to investigate the fire?"

"Not the fire," Jake replied, "but Alexis asked Reese and me to check out the company that makes the hoses that her husband is investigating. She said that he's not finished with his analysis yet, but he has his suspicions, and he is very rarely wrong. He never has been, in any case I've heard about."

"So, what are you going to do?" Mai asked.

"Reese and I are going to apply for jobs in the shipping department. A lot of that work is done by robots now, but they still need big guys who can put heavy boxes where the robots can't reach. Reese and I can do that. Alexis has put together work histories for us. If one or the other of us gets hired, we'll have a man on the inside. We can also stake out the fast food joints where the employees go for lunch and listen to their conversations. If something is going down, we should be able to pick up on it one way or another."

"So where is this manufacturer?"

"That's the tough part," Jake answered, "California, what they call the Inland Empire. There isn't even a beach, but there's a lot of industry there. I don't think the job will take long, but you know how it is, we never really know. That's a lot worse for Reese than it is for me. I don't like being away from you, any more than he likes being away from Eva, but he's also got Lexi, and he hates to miss anything she does."

"Come back as soon as you can and stay away from anyone with long fingernails," Mai cautioned.

Jake thumbed a strand of long hair back from her cheek. "Count on it."

* * *

Castle sighed over lunch with Sergei at the venerable Remy's. "This place still has the best hamburgers in Manhattan; I just can't finish one anymore. Rumbles, however, will appreciate my failings. What did you discover from that piece of hose?"

"I examined the structure of the metal," Sergei explained. "There was no evidence of fatigue or expansion due to the fire. From the measurements I was able to make, and compare to the dimensions the specification for that hose calls for, it was definitely out of tolerance. A laser scan or even a human inspector, if the company still uses one, should have rejected it. That hose should never have been in the kitchen of The Old Haunt, or anywhere else, except a metal recycling bin."

Castle stared grimly across the table. "That jibes with everything I've found so far. There have been multiple fires across the country, similar to what happened at The Old Haunt. People have died. My cook is going to have a painful recovery, and it is no accident.

"No," Sergei agreed. "Someone knowingly sold a defective product."

"And they are going to pay for it," Castle vowed. "They are going to pay for it big time."

* * *

Taking a rare lunchtime break at home, Kate shared a meal with Jim. She closed her eyes in satisfaction as she savored a spoonful of tomato basil soup. "Has that young man you're so impressed with decided to join you in your practice?" Jim asked.

"He has," Kate confirmed. "He has to finish up the cases he's working on, but he should be with me by the end of the month."

"That will take some of the pressure off you, not that you've ever minded pressure," Jim observed.

"Pressure no," Kate agreed, "but I would like to spend more time with Rick, and see more of the kids, and James. He's growing up so fast. I don't remember it going that fast with Jake and Reese."

"And I don't remember you growing up as fast as Lily did. The passage of time seems to accelerate with every passing year, or in my case, every passing day. I am so proud of you for the difference you've made in this world, and I would like to make my one last mark too, but moments lost with family, can never be regained. Believe me, I know."


	287. Chapter 287

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 287

"Have you thought about what you're going to do with the land the Old Haunt was on?" Kate asked.

Castle shook his head. "Not much. In my mind, starving writers are still in the booths trying to fill up on peanuts, and cops are exchanging tall tales at the bar. I hate to think of it any other way. I've had a couple of calls from people expressing an interest in obtaining the property."

"That was inevitable the minute the story about the fire broke, wasn't it?" Kate offered. "Manhattan real estate near the river? As empty land, it's probably worth more than it ever was as a bar."

"Depends on who's putting a price on it. And it's not like we need the money, Kate. We have everything we need and a lot of what we want, and so do the kids. And you can't buy history. I'd like to do something worthy of The Old Haunt's heritage, sketchy as it may have been. I'll have to think about that when the pain has subsided a little."

Kate put a hand on his arm. "Yeah, I understand. The land isn't going anywhere. You have time. How's the investigation into the hose company - what was it called - Ritkoff?

"More like rip off. Big Jake and Big Reese are in California now. They both applied for positions there, work histories courtesy of my multi-talented older daughter. It looks promising that at least one of them will be offered employment. From what we know about the company, there is a lot of turnover."

"I wouldn't be surprised," Kate commented, "if they treat their workforce as badly as they treat their customers."

* * *

The residential motel where Reese Perkins had a room wasn't bad, as places to stay went. He'd been in a lot worse, but that included caves, and base camps for covert incursions. One thing this place had in common with some of those accommodations was the heat. The air conditioner was running. He could hear its valiant efforts, but it was no match for the temperatures that had been steadily rising in the area, shattering records. It was no wonder that no one wanted to keep a job that involved spending time on an outdoor loading dock. Unfortunately, he had drawn the short straw, or at least it had been drawn for him. His application had been accepted, and he would be starting work at Ritkoff the next day. He wished that he and Jake could stay closer to each other, but the addresses would have looked suspicious to the Ritkoff HR department, such as it was. With most of the labor being handled by robots, it appeared to consist of one part-time woman. From the pictures on her desk, he guessed that she had taken a gig she could fit around taking care of her family. That wasn't a whole lot different from what Eva was doing, or even what he tried to do when he was in the city. He enjoyed fatherhood more and more as Lexi grew, with changes seemingly coming every minute. He planned to be back home as soon as possible, to watch them take place. He would do his best to keep his ears and his eyes open, when he wasn't wiping sweat out of them. He didn't know how much he'd hear. The vocabulary of the robots would be severely limited.

* * *

A couple of men in Ritkoff t-shirts were eating lunch at a table not far from Jake Pullman, in a West Coast based fast food joint. Not only did Jake count himself luckier than Reese in the task that had fallen to him, but his living quarters were also more comfortable. He'd been able to obtain short-term occupancy in the small house of a family that had fled to relatives in Canada, to escape the heat. They were only supposed to be gone for a couple of weeks. He hoped that would be long enough to wrap up the job. The conversation at the nearby table was promising. The Ritkoff employees were griping about the unreasonable demands of management vis-a-vis shipping schedules. In Jake's experience, bitching tended to lead to revelation. He stuck a wedge of deep fried zucchini in his mouth. Mai would have been incensed at the transformation of a nutritious vegetable into a snack that was both greasy and salt laden. She preached proper diet to her students, and she'd paid more attention to his, since his illness. He sighed as he thoroughly enjoyed his artery clogging side dish. As much as he missed his wife, being able to enjoy junk food was at least one perk to this job, and he'd take advantage of it as much as he could.

* * *

Castle paced through the tunnels beneath The Old Haunt. A small amount of smoke had penetrated the below ground office, but otherwise, they were largely untouched by the fire. The shelves that had once held Mayor Jimmy Walker's private stash were now stocked with wine that had remained comfortably cool. He could still hear the sound of water in the distance. At least this part of the history of the place had been preserved. It deserved something above ground that would be worthy of it. A parking structure, much as the area could use one, or a T.J. McChucklenuts, which the area could definitely not use, would be totally inappropriate. He remembered toiling over his notebooks at the historic bar, but many of the other writers who'd crafted their tomes to the clink of beer glasses had passed on. Their ghosts deserved a venue they could continue to haunt. Whether it involved alcohol consumption or not, whatever was constructed on the site needed a literary bent. An idea was beginning to form in his head. He'd need to call a few friends and do a lot of research, to figure out if his vision would be possible.

* * *

Leaning back in her office chair, Kate massaged her neck. Zeke couldn't join her fast enough. Obtaining the rights her clients deserved was exhilarating, especially when she could make the ones who denied them, pay the price. There was a little bit of both her father and her mother in that. But she was getting tired. With the well-toned condition, she'd worked so hard to maintain; she had far more energy than most people her age, or even younger, but she didn't outpace kids in their twenties and thirties. When he'd reached her age, her father had begun to hand work, especially the more tedious kind, off to his associates. She was beginning to understand why. He had brought in his old law firm to begin to help assemble a case against Ritkoff. It was all preliminary, until Big Reese and Big Jake could make their report, but every detail had been painstakingly handled by either a lawyer Jim Beckett had trained or by a younger associate to whom that training had been passed on. Her father's outlook and work ethic still permeated the atmosphere. Even when he did join her mother and Martha, his legacy would be alive and well. She was beginning to truly believe that she could gradually take steps back, and still allow her own fighting spirit to continue, first through Zeke, and when he rose to partner, through other associates. She was surprised at the comfort she took in that realization. There were things that she and Castle had always wanted to do together. Some, like a cross-country motorcycle trip, had most likely passed them by, but many of the places he'd so often dreamed of showing her were still out there. If she wanted to see a few of them, some of her battles could be left in willing and capable hands.

A/N Guest, I had no idea about the fire in the UK, but I did have some experience with a problem with a gas hose, in another context.


	288. Chapter 288

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 288

"Be careful not to drop any of those boxes," Reese's co-worker on the dock cautioned as the men loaded an outgoing shipment in a spot too deep into the far end of a semi trailer for the mechanized equipment to reach.

"There's nothing breakable in them, is there?" Reese asked. "They don't have fragile stamps or stickers on them."

"The hoses don't break, but they sure can get bent up," his companion explained. "Didn't used to be that way. Used to be you had to beat on them with a hammer to even get them to crimp, but management found some cheaper metal. Now the damn things dent if you blow on them."

"Yeah, I get it," Reese replied. "Bosses are always trying to find a way to make an extra buck."

His co-worker grunted as he laid down the box he was carrying. "You got that right."

* * *

The architect Rick had brought to the site of the Old Haunt, surveyed the wreckage. "We'll have to do a thorough demolition Rick. We'll also have to inspect the tunnels you told me about and do some tests to make sure the ground can support the kind of structure you have in mind. But if all that works out, I can produce some drawings for you to look at, or render a 3-D model if you prefer. Once the dimensions are entered into our computer system, I can print it either way, 2-D or 3-D."

"How about both, Franny?" Rick queried. "I'd love have a model, but it's hard to roll one up and carry it with you, or to transmit it as a file."

"I can make both for you," Franny Kopnick agreed, "assuming the project turns out to be viable. As soon as I have your retainer, I'll get a couple of my people out here to start the preliminaries. Is your insurance going to be paying for the rebuilding?"

"Some of it, eventually," Castle replied. "The coverage was for the value of the bar, which won't be sufficient for the new structure I have in mind, but my business manager is allotting the funds for you to begin your work. They should be wired to your firm by tomorrow."

Franny clapped her hands together, then extended one for Castle to shake. "Excellent! I look forward to an interesting project."

* * *

The acid of the dill pickle that accompanied his he-man sized burger was tangy on his tongue, while Jake used a hidden amplifier to capture the conversation several tables away. "God damn! Since they fired Stuey, and hired the kid fresh outa that hack computer school, there's no one who can decently program the robots. I had a whole load of parts out of spec. this morning. It wasn't just by a few microns either, it was close to a sixteenth of an inch. And the supervisor got pissed off when I tagged them as rejects! Asshole wanted me to sign off on them anyway, so we could meet a rush order date. He didn't want the company to lose the up-charge. Can you believe it?"

"Totally, Jimmy," another man at the table agreed. "I wouldn't be surprised if while you're at lunch, that lot gets re-tagged and shipped out. Ever since the corporate buy-out, everything's been run to make the bean counters happy. When the family owned the place, they used to care about quality. No more. It's all bottom line now."

"That's so true." Another man agreed. "Look how often they have to hire guys for the dock. Almost none of them last long enough to even qualify for bennies, as crappy as they are now. They should either enclose that space enough so they can cool it, or just upgrade the loading equipment so it can reach all the way into the truck. But man, you know they won't. I'm surprised they're still paying for paper in the johns."

"Yeah, any day now we'll have to bring our own," Jimmy opined. He gazed around the restaurant. "At least a family still owns this franchise. Best damn burgers in Southern California."

Jake silently agreed.

* * *

"I've got Reese's and Jake's preliminary report on Ritkoff. They're heading back to New York," Castle announced to Kate and Jim, over dinner.

"What did they find?" Jim asked.

"Old story. A corporate buy out, and the company is cutting costs by cutting corners. They uncovered a whole list of problems, all by word of mouth, but the bottom line is that the quality control has gone to hell."

"We can subpoena the records to confirm that," Jim asserted. "Looks like we're well on our way to saving some property and maybe even some lives."

"Let's hope so," Kate said. "Any progress on your plans for the Old Haunt property, Castle?"

"Not much. Because of the tunnels, a geo-technical engineer is doing a study to make sure the ground can support the kind of building I have in mind. From what I've been told so far, even without the fire, the Old Haunt could have developed problems because of the rise in the level of the river. It might have had to be demolished eventually, but I would have been more than willing to wait."

Kate reached across the table to clasp his hand. "Of course, you would have. What about the non-profit foundation you're putting together?"

"That's on hold until we see if we'll have a building to house the project it would be supporting, but the paperwork has been drafted, and if things pan out, it will be receiving some support from the two of my old poker buddies who are still around. If the project does turn out to be a go, Castle Press will be running a campaign to support it, too. But I have something else that did just become a go. The initial take was good enough on the last Star Train movie to green-light another one, with a script from me and Jake, our Jake. As busy as Daisy is with vet school, that should help to fill his hours in Ithaca nicely."

"That's terrific!" Kate said. "Is he coming into the city to meet with you about it?"

Castle nodded. "He's coming this weekend. Daisy is shaking herself loose enough to come with him. They'll be bringing Bartleby with them." A loud "Woof," sounded from the next room, as Rumble's sensitive ears picked up a familiar name.

"Sounds like everyone will be glad to see them," Jim Beckett observed.

"I was thinking of inviting Reese and Miranda. It would be great to have Lily, Akamai, and James, too, make it a real family gathering," Rick added.

"That would be great, Rick," Jim agreed.

"With that full a house, you and Jake might not get much work done," Kate cautioned.

Castle blasted air through his lips as he rolled his eyes. Are you kidding? Compared to the chaos I used to work amidst all the time around here, a gathering like that will be relative quietude." He stared quizzically at Kate. "You're not working this weekend, are you?"

Kate had been thinking of getting in a few hours at her office, but the hopeful look on her husband's face and the anticipation of her family's joyful noise. put those thoughts to rest. If an emergency came up, Zeke could field it. She might give him more of a break after his baby was born, but in the meantime, what were associates for? "No, I'll be here."


	289. Chapter 289

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 289

To accommodate the travel time from Ithaca, Rick and Kate planned their family gathering to coincide with a late lunch. Other than the food, there weren't many preparations to be made. James' high chair was in a corner of the dining room and needed only to be scooted into place. Breakables remained on high shelves. Rick took Rumbles for a walk, which had a calming effect on both of them.

Alexis had begged off. Sergei was working in the lab and had arranged for Bernard to shadow him, so she and Elizabeth had planned a girl's day out. Much to Jim's delight, Lily and Akamai arrived first, with James. Grandfather and great-grandson became immersed together in the rhyming tales crafted by Dr. Seuss. Jake and Daisy arrived next. The meal was slightly delayed when an apologetic text came in from from Reese that he and Miranda were running late, but were on their way.

* * *

"What was keeping you so busy this morning?" Rick inquired of Reese while dishing out Castle signature lasagna.

"I have a new project," Reese announced, "the ultimate crossover between comics and communication skills. Image Man can neither speak nor write, but he can telepathically project pictures into the minds of humans and aliens. He is a living universal translator. He works for the Convocation of Worlds, resolving conflicts by promoting better understanding between species. Seahorse Comics gave my original book a limited run on paper in addition to the digital version, but the books were so popular with teachers and therapists that I have a contract for a whole series. I wanted to finish a panel before Miranda and I left, and the time got away from me."

"A worthy excuse if ever I have heard one," Castle allowed.

"Does Image Man communicate with animals too?" Daisy asked.

"Anything that is sentient," Reese responded, "which on some worlds even includes the plants. His universe widens the definition of sentient beings, a lot."

"We could use a lot more of that," Daisy offered. "I would swear that some of the animals I work with are smarter than the human beings who claim to own them. They're definitely better behaved."

"After my years in the N.Y.P.D. and in politics, I'd certainly buy that," Kate agreed.

"Creating music involving complex composition is unique to humans, at least so far," Lily pointed out, "and it produces different images for everyone. Music therapists like Kirk, who worked with us when we were kids, reach people who have no communication skills at all. But so many other species respond to music. Remember how Cory used to love just lying by the piano when I played?"

"I'm taking a course in how various animals react to music and even make it," Daisy related. "I already knew that a lot of the dogs at the shelter were less stressed out when we played classical music for them, but some animals like music that humans don't. There's music derived from the calls of monkeys. Cats don't care about human music, but there's some that's been put together with frequencies they communicate with. They like that. Cows produce more milk when listening to "Bridge Over Troubled Waters, or the Pastoral Symphony, but there are other songs they don't react to well. Using their trunks with modified instruments, elephants can be better drummers than humans. They can even play the harmonica. Using music with animals is a whole area of study. I've been thinking of integrating it with my other communications work, to expand the program to even more senses, like beyond hearing, to just feeling vibrations."

"I'm sensing a common theme here," Castle concluded. "Writing, visual art, music, even the smells Daisy uses, they all enhance understanding between disparate beings, human and otherwise. Creating that kind of understanding has always been what Pirri was constantly trying to accomplish on Star Train too. Perhaps the universality of that is what has made the stories so popular. Jake, we should consider using as many aspects of that as we can, while we work on our current script."

Jim Beckett looked at Kate. "Feeling a little left out?"

Kate shrugged. "I don't know. What we do with the law is about promoting understanding too. We dig into motivations, and we absolutely do our best to get a judge and jury to understand our client's side of a case. Sometimes that takes all the senses, and maybe some we haven't discovered yet."

"You have a point," Jim agreed.

"Speaking of communicating through the senses," Castle said, "Mom and I have collaborated on a new dessert, designed to titillate through a panoply of tastes and textures, but all of them chocolate."

"Chocolate," James singsonged while beating a rhythm on the tray of his high chair.

"A Lilakai kid if ever there was one," Castle observed. "Now he just has to learn about coffee."

Akamai winked. "We've started him on mocha, but…."

A siren-like alert emanated from the cell phone in Castle's pocket.

"What's that?" Kate asked.

"That's a special alert I set for reports of fires caused by gas explosions. Oh, God! It's one of those pizza places with all the games and rides for kids' parties."

"Was anyone hurt?" Jim asked

Castle quickly swiped through the text on his screen. "This is just a preliminary report. Authorities aren't ready to issue anything official yet. Apparently, there was mass confusion, with parents trying to find kids who were running around the play area. More news is supposed to be released when everyone is accounted for."

Jim extended his hands to Lily and Jake who were on either side of him. "We need a prayer."

Even James grasped hands and lowered his head in imitation of the adults. Whatever chocolate delicacy that was to follow, was forgotten.

* * *

Jake leaned on the desk, where he was sitting with his father, going over a script outline. "I want to work on this, but it's hard to concentrate, thinking about the kids and the blast."

"Tell me about it," Castle commiserated. "When I was working on cases with your mother, I tried to chronicle things as we went, even when surrounded by dead bodies, but when there were children involved, all I wanted to do was run home and hug Alexis. It just tears your guts out. And when I had to watch what other parents were going through; even for me, there were no words. Hey,you want to take the dogs for a walk? Maybe there will be some good news by the time we return."

"Rumbles and Bartleby have both been acting like they picked up on the mood around here. Going out may help them too," Jake noted. "Anything's better than sitting around and pretending that right now I'm capable of writing anything that will reflect an optimistic view of the universe."

* * *

"Dad, how did you do it?" Jake asked as he and Rick walked.

"Do what?" Castle queried.

"You and Mom saw so much grief, went through so much of it yourselves, how did you keep writing through all of that? How did you get the words to flow?"

"I didn't always," Castle admitted. "Patterson and Connolly used to tease me about how few books I put out sometimes. But writing was also a coping mechanism, from about the time I was old enough to hold a pen. I would take what happened and make it go the way I wanted to go. After the first time your mother got shot, I wrote an ending for a book that had Rook taking a bullet instead of Nikki Heat."

"And that helped?" Jake questioned.

"It did. It's easier to deal with your own suffering than to see it happen to someone you love. When your mother was fading in an ambulance, I wanted to pluck my own heart out and give it to her. Same thing with you kids. When you were sick, I always wished the pain was mine instead. Even when Pepper left you, although that turned out for the best, I wished I could take the pain away. It's not much different than when you decided to move to Ithaca, so Daisy could be happy there. That's what love is about, worrying more about someone else than you do about yourself. Sometimes that even extends to people you don't know. You don't push that aside when you write. You embrace it. You use it."

Jake nodded slowly. "I think I understand."

"Ready to go back?" Castle asked.

"Yeah, I think I am."

A/N The information about animals and music is from MentalFloss dot com. There is an article there citing multiple scientific studies about how animals react to music.


	290. Chapter 290

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 290

"Dad," Kate called softly, standing at the side of Jim Beckett's hospital bed, "It's done. Ritkoff's parent company, Centwatch, made a settlement."

Jim's eyes opened. "What happened?"

"Centwatch's lawyers must have seen the faces of the jurors during the testimony of the parents of the children that were lost in the Pizza Playhouse fire. They came to us as soon as the judge declared a morning adjournment. It's fifty million dollars. It could never be enough to replace the lives of the children, but it will give the families some closure and replace all the property that was destroyed. It can't bring back the Old Haunt, either, but it will help to fund Rick's new Foundation. And we won't face endless appeals or the chance of a judge reducing a jury award."

Jim's fingers curled into a fist. "Damnable thing that children had to die to bring Centwatch to heel."

Kate stroked her father's temple. It is. But Centwatch will never realize any profit from Ritkoff. Perhaps that will spur them to re-examine the way they do business. It may even stand as an example to other companies that when lives are at risk, it doesn't pay to cut corners. It's a victory, Dad."

"I suppose it is," Jim agreed. "It's the result of a tragedy, but then many victories are. Thank you for helping me see this through, Katie."

Kate resisted the tears that threatened to well in her eyes. "I could never have done anything else, Dad."

* * *

The nondenominational memorial service for Jim Beckett, was larger and better attended than Jim Beckett could have ever imagined. Every member of the extended Castle family, including the Kasparovs and the Kahales, was there, even if they had to get on an airplane to do it. All of RCI made time to come. Many of Jim's clients through the years paid their respects. A host of Martha's former students and other members of the theater made a showing as well. Enough luminaries, including Lilakai, and Jake and Richard Castle were present that Jake Pullman and Reese Perkins had enlisted the aid of some of their colleagues in the security industry to keep the press at bay. A helicopter hovered overhead, but the targets of the reporters aboard were quickly ushered out of sight, and the vehicle retreated.

After a minister opened with prayer, Castle took the podium. "For a lawyer, Jim Beckett was often a man of remarkably few words. He preferred to let his actions speak for themselves. Whether that was exhausting every resource to fight for his clients, or being an endless source of strength and understanding to his family, he lived with quiet dignity and love. I doubt that it is often said of an in-law, but I will miss him terribly. I know that my wife Kate, and my children, Alexis, Lily, Reese, and Jake, and his great-grandson James, will as well. But I believe that Jim is now with his much-loved wives, Johanna, and my mother Martha Rodgers, who can duke it out over who will get more of his attention.

Kate drew a deep breath before taking the podium after Rick. "I lost my mother, Johanna Beckett, at nineteen. That loss devastated both my father and me. Many of you know how he coped with that in the early years following her death, but my father was strong enough to beat his demons back to the hell where they belonged. His strength was mine. He was there for every crossroad in my life. While he might not have approved of every choice I made, his support for me was unwavering. While I often thought that my passion for justice originated with my mother, over the years, I have discovered that though more quietly, it flowed at least as strongly from my father. He always stood up for people who suffered at the hands of those with more influence, more power, and more money. He did that until the day he closed his eyes for the final time. I am a better person because Jim Beckett was here, and the world has been made a better place by his presence."

Lily followed her mother. "My grandfather loved music, at least some music. He was never fond of crashing cymbals or a techno beat, but gentle melodies touched his soul, and his appreciation of them touched mine. From my earliest years, he was a source of constant encouragement. He proudly hailed my every step forward, whether it was a simple tune for a third grade skit, or a score for a major motion picture, his joy in the achievements I made, alone and in concert with my husband, was boundless. I and my music will always be richer for that memory.

After Lily had finished, the minister returned to the podium, to lead more prayers, while Lily and Akamai played music with themes drawn from Jim's favorite sacred music. When they finished, Dugout Briggs, former star player of the New York Yankees, mounted the altar and took the microphone. "You've heard a lot about Jim Beckett, and if you knew him, you knew that he was a lifelong baseball fan. What you may not know, is the contributions he made to the game. For decades, he was a constant presence in the stands, keeping his own statistics and notes. He shared the insights he gained with many of us, improving our play. He also supported the causes of many of the players, included doing all the legal work, at his own expense, to form the foundation that raised money to combat ataxia-telangiectasia, a disease I would never have heard of, had not one of my sons been stricken with it. Unlike those of us on the playing field, Jim Beckett never sought glory. I'm pretty sure would have been uncomfortable receiving it. He was just always there, as a support and an example to all my teammates and me. That is why the next game the Yankees play, will be played in his honor, and a plaque bearing his name will be placed in the stadium, now that he's not here to protest." Dugout looked upwards. "Jim, this is one thank you that you will have to accept."

After the minister's final benediction, the mourners filed out to form a caravan to the cemetery. The minister said a simple prayer, then while Lily played and sang the first song she had ever composed for her grandfather, Jim was laid to rest between the graves of Johanna and Martha. One by one, each attendee threw in a small spadeful of dirt, taken with permission Kate had sweated to obtain, from the original Yankee Stadium, where they'd attended so many games together while she was growing up. Kate and Rick were the last to leave, and she settled into his shoulder for the trip to Fieldston. "I ordered Dad's gravestone," Kate said. "It will be erected after the ground settles. Dad never left instructions about what he wanted on it."

"That was like him, refusing to the last, to toot his own horn," Castle observed, pulling her close. "What did you decide it should say?"

"Investigator iustitia semper."

Castle nodded. "Seeker of justice, always. Short and to the point. I think he'll like it."


	291. Chapter 291

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 291

"Why are you staring into your closet?" Kate asked.

I'm trying to figure out what to wear to the groundbreaking today," Castle explained. "Normally if I were going to dig in the dirt, I'd wear jeans."

"When was the last time you dug in the dirt?" Kate questioned. "Chauncy does a great job keeping our grounds up, even with the way Rumbles tears up the grass in his run."

"Point taken," Castle acknowledged. "Putting farmer Castle aside, I was thinking that this illustrious occasion might merit something more formal. What do you think?'"

"Well," Kate offered, "This is the ceremony to launch The Writers' Incubator. Maybe something literary."

"Hmm," Castle considered, "for some reason known only to God and fashion police, corduroy jackets with leather patches on the elbows have resurfaced. Alexis found one for me at a vintage store a few years back as a Christmas gag gift, but now it might be just the thing. Pity the only pipe I have is the Sherlockian one you got me to go with my deerstalker hat."

"I think that jacket will speak volumes by itself," Kate said. "The ceremony is at ten-thirty, right?"

"Uh huh, but I want to get there a little early. The engineering firm that's managing the groundwater control for the project is going to be there, and I want to thank them. Without them, the city would have kiboshed the project. Also, Dennis Lehane is moving his old bones to come, and I want to see how he's making out."

Kate rolled her eyes. "You're hardly in a position to talk about moving old bones, Castle."

Rick drew himself up. "Next to Lehane, I am a mere child. Too bad Connelly can't make it. He makes me look like a toddler. I can't believe the way he's still cranking out projects. I'd think he was possessed by the ghost of Stan Lee, except that he never shows up in a movie."

"You mean like the fifteen seconds you were on the screen in the last Star Train movie?"

Castle smoothed back a shock of white, but still thick hair. "There are no small parts. Only small actors. I made my mark. Trainers were tweeting about my triumph for weeks."

"Well if you're going to score another triumph this morning, you'd better finish picking out your clothes," Kate advised.

Castle sighed. "Yes, dear."

* * *

The site of the gone but never forgotten Old Haunt had a bigger crowd than had often been inside the late lamented bar. Students from writing programs at several local universities had gathered to celebrate the erection of a possible gateway to their futures. In addition to Lehane, several established writers that Castle had convinced to support his Writers' Incubator Foundation, were in attendance, as well as a couple of City Council members seeking visibility before the next election. A cameraman was set up to shoot a video for distribution to websites and local television.

Castle carefully mounted the improvised speaker's platform. "I would like to welcome you all here today, although I'm a little intimidated by how many of you young upstarts are aspiring to take my job. I remember when I was one of you, using every spare moment, in a booth in the historic bar that stood where we are standing now, to fill notebooks with stories I was never sure anyone would read. The writing world has changed both for the better and worse. With the electronic revolution that has enabled writers to release their work to the world without hindrance, a deluge of words has been created that can swamp the finest efforts. Castle Press has attempted to bring some of the new generation of wordsmiths out of the deeps, but I am the first to admit that the writers we support are but a mere drop in the bucket compared to the world of talent waiting to be discovered. The Writers' Incubator Foundation and The Writers' Incubator for which we are breaking ground, will give a new generation of writers a chance to fulfill their dreams, crafting their own words with the support and mentorship of old farts like Dennis and me. And I guarantee that there will be a fully stocked beer cooler, and an endless supply of both strong coffee and peanuts, to keep body and soul together while some of you standing here today craft your literary masterpieces. So, the shovel, please." The ground was harder than Castle had expected, but he managed to lift a shovel filled with dirt, while flashing a grin at the camera.

"How's your back?" Kate asked in the cab on the way back to Fieldston.

Castle shook his head. "You were right. It's been a long time since I hefted a shovel to lift anything heavier than Rumbles' poop, and I usually just employ our miraculously engineered auto-poop-scoop for that."

"You can use the Jacuzzi when we get home. In honor of today's events, I might even bring you a beer and some peanuts while you soak."

"You are truly an angel of mercy," Castle replied, "but make it a scotch."

* * *

"So?" Reese asked as Miranda emerged from the bathroom.

"It's positive," she replied.

Reese picked her up and swung her around. "That's great! We're going to have a kid!"

"Uh huh," Miranda responded.

Reese put her down and searched her face. "I thought you'd be happier about it. We both agreed we wanted this. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, really," Miranda insisted. "I am happy. It's just that a baby in the abstract is different than knowing that I'm carrying one in my body. I'm thinking about all the ways I'll need to be careful, all the things we'll have to do to get ready, how this is going to affect my work. It's all a little overwhelming, that's all."

"Maybe you should talk to Lily," Reese suggested. "She and Akamai have managed to work their careers around James. They've even been talking about having another child. And their lives are a lot more hectic than ours. We don't have bloggers chronicling our every move like they do. They work very hard to keep James out of the limelight, but they're doing great. We should have lunch or dinner or something with them. We should invite them over here. Lily might have some ideas on how to set up the spare bedroom as a nursery."

"Alright," Miranda agreed. "I just don't want to hear any stories about labor yet. I have enough to wrap my mind around as is."

* * *

"Lily felt tears threatening to spring to her eyes as she gazed around the room she had slept in many years before, while keeping watch over her grandfather when her grandmother was away. It was completely different now. Reese and Miranda had been using it to store art supplies. It would morph again for her new niece or nephew. She was sure that both Grandpa and Grandma would have liked that. Maybe they were watching from above with plans of their own for a new great-grandchild. The room seemed smaller than it had when she was young, but there would still be plenty of room for a crib, a changing table, a dresser and storage for toys and diapers. She could imagine where a mobile would hang, and picture a colorful mural lovingly painted by Reese and Miranda, gracing a wall. The child would need a song, too. She'd written at least one for everyone in the extended Castle family. She'd wait until the baby was born, for that. She always composed to reflect the personality of the person she was composing for, regardless of age, and babies showed their attitudes toward the world, pretty promptly. It would be wonderful to see what inspiration the life springing from the love between Reese and Miranda would bring.


	292. Chapter 292

Life Goes On 2

Chapter 292

"Finally abandoning the leather patches?" Kate asked as Castle slipped on the jacket of his tuxedo.

"Alas," Castle lamented, "the style has gone the way of the paisley tie, disappearing to some realm where it will languish until a new generation of fashion designers believe it's worth resurrecting. The tuxedo, on the other hand, for better or worse, never dies, it just changes in form, as does the body that wears it."

"I think you look very handsome and distinguished," Kate said.

"If by handsome and distinguished, you mean that my face has acquired character, I'll accept the compliment," Castle replied. "It you mean that the tuxedo still hangs well after some of my more notable contours have diminished, the kudos all go to Weatherby. I can only hope he outlives me. Tailoring skills like his are becoming a lost art."

"Weatherby notwithstanding, I will be very proud to be on your arm tonight," Kate declared.

Castle's eyes swept up and down the flowing lines of the shimmering dress Kate wore. "And as arm candy, your deliciousness remains." He offered his elbow to her. "Ready to go?"

Kate smiled and linked her arm with her husband's.

* * *

After thoroughly appreciating the lack of rubber in his Mediterranean chicken, Castle rose from his seat on the dais. "While it has been a month since the Writer's Incubator opened its doors, I am deeply proud to celebrate its official launch, and humbled by the torrent of creativity I have seen taking place. Our young writers are amazing. They reach into the depths of the human soul and soar to universes yet unimagined. In a world where many lament attention spans no longer then the time it takes to read a tweet, I have confidence that the work that they produce will captivate and inspire generations of readers to come. Their burgeoning artistry brings a hope of generations that will continue to treasure a tale well told and a story well spun." Castle lifted his glass. "To the literary icons of the future."

* * *

"Our second outing this week," Castle noted, pulling a Lilakai t-shirt over his head.

"Lily and Akamai have been too busy to give concerts for a long time," Kate noted, sporting a matching shirt. "This is quite an event, if not as formal as last night's banquet."

"Less formal, but huge," Castle agreed. "Madison Square Garden. I never thought the place would be around this long, let alone that my daughter would be performing there. If Lily hadn't set aside tickets for us, I don't think we could have gotten them. The concert sold out in a few minutes, and there was a limit, so the scalpers couldn't score."

"The tickets were probably even more popular because the whole thing will be videoed to be made into a documentary," Kate supposed.

Castle nodded. "With Jake writing the script. Speaking of whom, or at least his better half, he told me that Daisy has been offered a summer internship at the Bronx Zoo. If she does well, she's hoping to work there when she has her D.V.M. They, and of course Bartleby, will be in the city for the summer."

"Did they want to stay with us?" Kate asked.

"Jake didn't mention that," Castle replied, "I would imagine that with the schedule they'll be keeping, they'll want to spend whatever free time they have without the intrusive presence of their elders. But if we don't hear anything about any other living arrangements they may make, I'll make sure they know the invitation is open."

"Good," Kate agreed.

* * *

Rick and Kate were ensconced in their exclusive suite, when Lily and Akamai came on stage to thunderous applause. They played a program of the most popular music from their Broadway shows and movie scores, then Lily took a microphone coming downstage to talk to the audience. What Aki and I will be performing next is new, and very special to me. It honors much that has happened in our family, and much yet to come. It is called Gemini."

When the concert ended, Rick and Kate were thankful to have the use of a restricted exit to get to a waiting limousine. They would have liked to spend some post-concert time with Lily and Akamai, but the logistics were impossible, so they had arranged for a get-together the following night. "Gemini," Kate mused, as she and Rick settled into the soft leather seats for the ride back to Fieldston. "Lily must have been talking about Jake and Reese, and Miranda's and Reese's twins."

"Uh huh," Castle agreed, that part in the middle where all the competing themes were clashing then winding around each other, reminded me of when we were raising the boys, and of the controlled chaos that Reese and Miranda are weathering right now with Houghton and Edgar."

"What you think Lily meant by 'much yet to come?'" Kate wondered.

"She might have meant Houghton and Edgar growing up," Castle replied, "but we can ask her tomorrow night."

* * *

James' booster seat was in place at the dining room table as Rick practiced a new skill of folding napkins into elephants, while Kate put the finishing touches on a salad to complete the spread of chicken tenders and mashed potatoes that would not only satisfy the Castle-Kahale scion, but his parents. When Rick responded to the doorbell, he was surprised to see that the car parked in the drive was larger than the one in which Lilakai usually traveled. "Why the new wheels?" he inquired over dinner.

"We're going to need a car with more seating and cargo room," Akamai explained.

Castle's eyebrows rose, as he looked for signs of what had been well disguised under the dress his daughter had worn the night before. "Does that mean what I think it does?"

"I'm pregnant Dad," Lily confirmed. "Things this time weren't going the way they went with James, and we wanted to be sure that everything looked all right before we said anything. You know how the Kahale family feels about doing anything that might be bad luck. I just had my first scan, with the new system my OB is using, two days ago. Everything looked fine."

"Doubly fine," Akamai added.

"We're continuing the family tradition," Lily explained. "We're having twins."

* * *

Together under a blanket on the couch, Kate and Rick gazed into the midnight flames leaping in the fireplace. Kate sipped from her goblet of deep red wine. "Now we know what Lily meant by 'much yet to come.'"

"At least we know part of it," Castle agreed. "There's always something ahead. Marriages, births, deaths, triumphs, and tragedies. Even in my wildest writer's imaginings, I never saw a life or a heart as full as mine is now. And with our children and our children's children there is so much ahead. It is still too much to contemplate."

"Neither one of us has been much for contemplation anyway," Kate said.

"That's true," Rick acknowledged, "we've just managed to make our way through whatever happened. But there is one thing I'm sure of right now. Whatever we do, whatever we face, in whatever years are left to us, through Alexis, Bernard, Elizabeth, Lily, James, Reese, Jake, Houghton, Edgar, all their partners, and the new Gemini to come, life in all its wondrous unfoldings, will go on.

Ruby glasses clinked in the firelight.

Finis

A/N As Nathan noted in his last live Castle tweet, all things end. If I went much further with this story, it would mean the death and/or decline of Rick and/or Kate and my heart couldn't bear that. Barring technical problems or disasters, I will continue daily posts with "The Push," and whatever stories follow it. Thank you all for taking this journey with me. Love, Sally


End file.
